The Essentials
by meiflower
Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer. Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language.
1. Prelude

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

**

* * *

**

**Prelude **[An instrumental work intended to precede a larger piece.]

* * *

"Briefing in 5."

Spencer Reid sighed and ran a hand through unruly brown hair. He'd just walked through the glass doors that led to the bullpen. He hadn't even had coffee yet. Heck, he hadn't even sat down. "Thanks, JJ."

_This is going to be another great day_, he mused. He really wasn't looking forward to another case, seeing as there had been several in the past few weeks already and, from his point of view, the whole team was in dire need of a break.

He scanned the room. Morgan was dozing off in his chair and Prentiss was idly shuffling through papers. Hotch was on the phone in his office, pinching the bridge of his nose. Reid fought the urge to groan and put down his shoulder bag.

Yup. Another great day was definitely in the making.

* * *

_"911, what is your emergency?"_

_"…I just shot someone at __703 Allegro Street__."_

_"Sir? Excuse me?"_

JJ turned off the recording. "Five victims over a time period of three months, all found in the Southern California area. Two women, and three men, each one shot once in the forehead at point-blank. Each of them had minor bruises and injuries suggesting a struggle, but no other damage other than the gunshot wounds. That includes sexual abuse." JJ switched from image to image on the screen to follow her narration.

The bodies of the victims were spread-eagle on carpeted floors, nearly unblemished save for the holes in their foreheads. They were all fully clothed and lay with their eyes closed, as if asleep.

"The victims were found in their homes and 911 was tipped off for each." She continued. "The UnSub used the victims' home phones so we couldn't get a trace, but assuming that there was no voice-altering involved, we've got his gender."

"And, possibly his ethnicity." Reid stated. "The way he said 'at' without using his tongue and the way his 'r' and 'l' sound in 'Allegro' suggest Asian origins, maybe Japanese, and most likely second- or third- generation."

"Whoa there, tiger," Morgan said, quirking an eyebrow. "Let's not go too far too fast, okay? The first thing I'd be working on would be, 'why these victims?'"

Reid shrugged. "It was just an observation."

"Morgan's right. Speaking of race, though," Hotch sorted through the pictures of the crime scenes, "nearly all of the victims are of different ethnicities. Different age groups too. The two women are Caucasian; one is in her 20s and the other is in her 40s, and the men are African-American, Korean, and Caucasian and aged from 35 to 60." He looked up from the file at his team. "There's no correlation."

"Well, they must have had something in common." Prentiss said, looking back at the screen. "JJ?"

"Well, they were all musicians. They each were employed under orchestras that toured Los Angeles at one point or another. That's also where the most recent victim happened to live."

"We'll start there then." Rossi stated flatly. "Plane leaves in half an hour."

* * *

"Thanks so much for coming. I'm Officer Erik Johnson, and I'm overseeing this case. My supervisor asked me to get you guys situated." Johnson was a solidly built man in his 30s with thinning light brown hair and gray-blue eyes. He smiled warily and looked at the team, clearly nervous. Having so many FBI agents so near him was not something he was used to.

"SSA Aaron Hotchner. These are Agents Morgan, Rossi, Jareau, Prentiss and Dr. Reid." He gestured to each one in turn. "I need to get some of my team out on the last crime scene as soon as possible. Do you mind?"

Johnson was surprised, "You sure you don't need to, uh, settle in to your hotel or anything? Or, er, look into our files here first? I mean, it's not that I mind, but, if you need some time to do those things…?"

Hotch didn't falter for a second. "Already been done. We need to work fast, seeing that our killer could have another target chosen already and we have no idea who or why." He turned away from Johnson and towards his team. "Prentiss, Morgan, you two go to the scene. Reid, Rossi, and I will stay here and go through everything LAPD has on this case. JJ, I need you to establish connections with Garcia and keep her updated." Hotch turned to Johnson again. "Our technician," he said in explanation.

Johnson nodded, still a little dazed. These people worked _fast_. He only wished the cops here would be that diligent. "Sure. I'll get some guys to escort your agents out there."

"Thank you."

"No problem. The files on the case are this way…"

* * *

"Speaketh, O mortal, and the mighty Mistress of methodical information shall answer."

"…Garcia? Did you just alliterate?"

"Yes, human."

Reid snorted. "It's been speculated that the conscious usage of alliteration in dialogue is a sign of insanity."

"…Fine, boy wonder. Ruin my day."

"Sorry," Reid muttered, smiling. "I need you to run something for me."

"As long as it's not a marathon, I'm listening."

Reid rolled his eyes. "That's not even_ funny_. Anyway, the last victim was a pianist in a performance that runs until next week. I need to know if the orchestra knows about her death, whether or not they know it was a murder, and whether or not the performance is still running."

He could hear the clicking of keys in the background. "Yes, yes, and yes. They were informed right before you guys arrived. They're playing every night at 8. It lasts until 11. My guess is that they've already replaced her."

Reid blinked. That was fast. "So are tickets sold out already?"

"For tonight? No. Planning to take someone on a date?"

Reid rolled his eyes again. "No, but it will be two people going. Hotch wants to interview the orchestra members. The fastest way in is the most obvious. Besides," he shrugged, "I like classical music."

"Oh, so the boss-man is taking _you_ on a date."

Reid groaned. "Tickets, Garcia."

On the other end of the line, Garcia grinned. "Done. You have your own private box, too. That's pretty luxurious. Not to mention a little scandalous. Think of the things you could do instead of watching the orchestra. I mean, you only need your ears to enjoy the music anyway, so-"

Reid hung up.

* * *

**[A/N] Here we go. Here we goooo~!**

**I'm very frightened. I haven't written anything for the Criminal Minds fandom before, and I'm jumping right in with a very long story. Not only that, but the story has OCs in it. I'm a little worried about their presence since I've never written OCs before, but I'm determined to finish this. **

**This is really scary. REALLY SCARY. I'm scared of making the canon characters too OOC. I'm scared about the pairings that I'm choosing to write. I'm also worried that my plotline will be too hard to follow. So to make it easier, I'm breaking up the story into bite-sized chunks of about a thousand or so words each. The entire thing has pretty much already been written, though.**

**I hope this story is alright!**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	2. Crescendo

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Crescendo** [The dynamic effect of gradually growing louder.]

* * *

"This place is cleaner than the hotel room." Morgan whistled as he stepped through the door.

"Yeah, ignoring the great big red stain in the middle of the carpet." Prentiss returned. It was the only sign of disarray, though. Despite the marks of a struggle on the victim's body, the room really was spotless save for the blood on the floor. "The victim lived alone, she was single and the only person who had a key… but there's no sign of breaking and entering so…"

Morgan crouched down near the blood. "I'm the UnSub. I approach her after she gets out of the car and walks towards the door. The key is in her hand. After a scuffle, which she loses, I put my gun to her forehead and shoot. I unlock her door and put her body inside. No B & E required. I call 911 using her phone." He sighed. "That doesn't work. How can I shoot at point-blank right in the middle of her forehead if she's still conscious and struggling?"

Prentiss shrugged. "Maybe she wasn't. The UnSub could have knocked her out with a tranquilizer or brute force. The problem I have with your theory is that if you'd shot her outside, there would be blood on the sidewalk."

"So the UnSub knocks her out, unlocks her door, lays her body down and then shoots her?"

"It's possible." Prentiss looked around the house. A wide-screen TV with a surround-sound speaker system took up most of the living room. On the coffee table were glass figurines of ballet dancers. "He didn't take anything. Chances are he didn't even touch anything but the phone."

Morgan picked out a CD from a rack next to the television. "He wasn't interested in anything. This wasn't meant to be a robbery. It wasn't random either. It was premeditated and probably personal. It could have been hatred or resentment for the victim's career, but probably not as personal as revenge."

Prentiss nodded. "Right… revenge would mean more damage to the body and/or the property."

"This woman had, like, 50 different CDs of the same artist," Morgan remarked suddenly.

"So?" Prentiss went over to where Morgan was standing in front of the CD rack. "That's not really unusual. She was probably a fan."

Morgan handed the CD case to her. "None of them have been opened."

"…Yeah, that's a little weird."

* * *

"Wai Li Jung." Rossi said suddenly.

Hotch continued to sort through the nearest box of manila folders. "Hmm?"

"All of the victims were scheduled to do duets with him. He was the main act for all of the concerts. They each did one performance with him before they were murdered."

This information was immensely helpful. Hotch thought for a few seconds. "Okay, so we look at him instead. JJ, get Garcia to go through everything on this guy. I need family members with a history, any crazed fangirls, any sort of gun ownership, everything."

"Right. On it." JJ strode out of the room swiftly.

"You said Wai Li Jung?" Officer Johnson looked up from a file at Rossi. "That violin kid's been all over the media lately. Ever since he started performing in LA, his face has been everywhere. TV interviews, newspapers, magazines, you name it, he's on it. He was our first suspect too, but he's got solid alibis for each of the murders. He doesn't seem the type to shoot anyone anyway. The recoil would probably dislocate his shoulder, he's pretty puny."

"Actually, that may be a misguided assumption," Reid thought aloud, recalling his own firearms training along with his slim build. "If he's a violinist, it's likely that he has significant strength in his dominant arm along with highly dexterous fingers of the other hand. Anyway, 'kid'? He's a child prodigy then?"

Johnson nodded. "Like, the male version of that Midori girl."

"Actually, you're off by about 1500 miles and 5 years, if we're going by where they were born and when Midori was most popular." JJ reentered the room. "Garcia's on line 1."

* * *

Kevin Lynch was very bored.

So, he decided to alleviate his boredom by playing minesweeper on his laptop while Garcia waited to speak with the team over the phone. He was just starting an custom game when Garcia started to talk. He listened in, although it wasn't as though this counted as eavesdropping, and after all, she did have the conversation on speaker…

"So, I've got a lot of news for you on this Mr. Jung Wai Li, which is how you'd say his name in his native Chinese: last name first, first name last."

"Yes, but you wouldn't call him 'mister,' seeing as they don't use that title in China…" Reid pointed out.

"Silence, impudent being. Your goddess speaks. And he actually was born in Hong Kong, China, which at the time was under the control of-"

"-England." Reid finished. "But if he's born in Hong Kong he probably speaks British English and the native dialect Cantonese, rather than the typical Mandarin, which would make the pronunciation of his name entirely differ-"

"Did I not call for silence?!" Garcia thundered over the phone. Kevin and Reid winced simultaneously.

"Continue, Garcia," Hotch said tiredly.

"Right. So this kid is clean as a whistle. I can't get anything on him before he moved here, but he came to the US when he was 18. He's the legal guardian of his little sister, Mei Xing Jung. In any case, he's living with her in Pasadena. His parents have never touched American soil. This kid's a musical genius, but his records don't indicate any higher education."

Rossi absorbed all of the information slowly. "So no history, he's his sister's caretaker despite both parents being alive, and he came here as soon as he was able, but not for our educational system."

"Why would someone target him? Was he running away from someone in Hong Kong?" JJ put a hand over her mouth in thought. "He could have made enemies that followed him here. The killings could be attempts to sabotage his career."

"But why not just aim for _him_ then? That would probably be a blow to his career too." Rossi pointed out.

Hotch pondered the possibilities. "The UnSub might have wanted to cast suspicion onto Wai Li Jung. Creating a scandal would ruin his career along with his personal reputation." He stood up and reached towards the phone. "Garcia, I need his address. We should probably interview the sister and any neighbors who know him. I also need access to tonight's performance."

Garcia raised both eyebrows. "Sir, Reid should be holding tickets for the two of you for tonight's performance at 8."

Hotch looked at the man in question. "Reid?"

"Ah- right. Yes, I have both tickets." He fumbled with his shoulder bag and retrieved the printouts. "Sorry, it completely slipped my mind."

Garcia snickered. Oh, she was never going to let Reid live this down. "He's just nervous because I got him such good seats, sir."

Reid sputtered and flushed. "Garcia!"

"Right. The address is being sent to JJ's mobile. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call. Bye now!" She disconnected with a cheery smile.

Kevin stared at her over the top of his screen. "Do I want to know?"

Garcia beamed at him. "Don't worry, next time we ever see a concert together I'll pull some technological strings and empty the whole theater just for us." She went back to her keyboard happily.

Kevin sighed, shaking his head. "Using your powers for evil, then." He left-clicked a box which turned out to be a mine. It exploded. "Damn."

* * *

It was dark by the time Morgan and Prentiss made it back to the precinct. They entered the building to find JJ, Rossi, and Officer Johnson staring at a board covered in maps, pictures, and miscellaneous notes.

"Got anything?"

JJ glanced at Morgan, and then focused back on the board. "Not much. Hotch and Reid are on their way to interview the guy we're suspecting is in the middle of this."

Prentiss reached into an oversized duffel bag. "And is his name, by any chance, Wai Li Jung?"

Rossi looked startled, though he knew he shouldn't be. "You found something in the victim's home?"

"We found a_ lot_ of somethings." Prentiss brought out the collection of plastic-covered CDs. "All of them with Mr. Jung's name."

Johnson picked up a few CDs. "Some of these only have one or two tracks on them. But most of these got released right after he started getting popular. They're still selling like hotcakes."

"The ones with only a few tracks might have been independently made and distributed." Morgan offered. "Like a sample sort of thing."

"Maybe."

"We need less guesswork and more answers," Rossi said, sinking back into a chair. "Morgan, Prentiss, you should go over what we got with Officer Johnson. We need fresh eyes. JJ and I will interview Jung's sister. Until Hotch and Reid get back, there's not much we can do."

Prentiss had noticed their absence. "Where _are_ they?"

"Enjoying a concerto at the Walt Disney Concert Hall while we slave off here." JJ said, grabbing her purse. "Let's go."

* * *

**[A/N] Second chapter!! : ) And I'm just as worried as before.**

**Two of the main OCs are mentioned in this chapter- in total, there are only about five. I hope this turns out alright...**

**Ah, and I read a saying that claimed that people tend to write about things that apply to them- if that's the case, you must now know my ethnicity and location. That is, if you believe that saying is true. ERHURHUR.**

**Thank you very much for reading.**

**Oh, and I know the Disney Concert Hall doesn't have boxes. It's just fanfiction. I hope no one is offended.**


	3. Transposition

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/****OMC****, ****OMC****/****OMC****]**

* * *

**Transposition **[Shifting a piece of music to a different pitch level]

* * *

"Remind me to thank Garcia when we get out."

Hotch looked at Reid quizzically. "You didn't seem too intent on thanking her back at the precinct."

Reid looked back out, towards the stage. "I didn't know how amazing box seats were."

In reality, Reid admitted to himself, that wasn't the only reason. He honestly enjoyed being with his superior, and basked in the chance to be alone with Hotch. At first, he'd passed the thoughts off as hero worship and perhaps the need for attention due to the circumstances of his childhood, but somehow those feelings had developed into something greater, slightly worrying, and decidedly _not_ work-appropriate.

He'd been ignoring the emotions for the most part. It didn't worry him much that he was quite possibly bisexual or even homosexual; what did worry him was the possibility of his attraction ruining their work relationship or clouding his judgment.

But since they were, as Garcia had arranged for, in a private box, these emotions could be let loose to play for the time-being. Reid leaned back in the velvet-covered chair, reclining as he waiting for the performance to start.

Hotch hadn't a clue as to what was going on in the younger agent's brilliant mind. "So why tickets for only the two of us? I can speculate a few good reasons for the decision, but I never specified a number when I mentioned coming here."

Reid froze, bit his lip, and forced out logical answers. "Less people, less intimidation. Two is safer than one. We can get to more people without attracting too much attention- besides, if we brought the whole team along with police escorts, they'd probably deny us access anyway or claim inconvenience. Also, two people seem more personal and may make whoever we talk to more forthcoming with information." He took a deep breath.

Hotch followed Reid's explanation, nodding as he finished. "I bet the rest of the team's a little pissed that they can't come along, though."

Reid grinned guiltily. "They'll get over it. Do you like classical music?"

Hotch leaned forward and opened the informational brochure introducing the orchestra and the performance. "Yes, but I don't have much of a preference. It's certainly relaxing."

That's what the rest of the team needs right now, Reid thought. He and Hotch wouldn't be back at the hotel until after midnight. He hoped the others wouldn't wait up for them.

The lights began to dim.

"Hotch, it's starting!" Reid perked up in his seat and looked with wide eyes towards the stage.

The unit chief looked quizzically at the young man. The outburst was very… cute. For a second, Reid seemed almost childlike.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. We ask that you please silence all cellphones and pagers and refrain from talking during the performance. Photography and recording of any kind is strictly prohibited. Tonight's performance…"_

* * *

"Ms. Mei Xing Jung?"

A teenage girl with long black hair pulled back in a bun looked out at JJ and Rossi. "Yes?"

Rossi took note of her behavior. She didn't even flinch at the FBI badges. "We'd like to ask about your older brother, Wai Li."

"Has something happened to him?" It was said without any trace of worry or concern, almost a statement rather than a question.

JJ stowed her badge. "No. We're investigating the murders of several musicians who all performed with your brother shortly before their deaths. May we come in?"

The girl looked doubtful. "Are you suspecting his involvement?"

"From the information we have, no. We just want to ask a few questions." Rossi eyed the interior of the house from where he stood. She seemed to be alone.

"…Please feel free to remove your shoes. There are guest slippers to your right."

Rossi and JJ looked at each other then followed the girl into the house. She disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them in the small sitting room. "Would you like something to drink? There is tea already made."

"No, that's fine." JJ looked around the townhouse. Framed calligraphy and oriental décor filled the room. "Your house is beautiful."

"Not very, but thank you for the complement. It is a privilege for us to be living here." She returned with a pot of tea and a solitary cup. "What questions do you intend to ask concerning my brother?"

_Intend_ to ask? Rossi noted. "Ms. Jung, we'd like to know everything you know or have heard about the murders. We also want to ask about your brother's behavior and whether you've noticed anything out of the ordinary in the past few months."

"Please, just Mei or Mei Xing is fine. I know little about the murders except for the victims' names and dates of death. My brother has acted as expected. When he found out about the murders he was very unhappy and helped console the families of the victims. Nothing unusual has happened." She took a sip of tea.

"Did your brother have any enemies? Anyone who would have wanted to hurt his career or put suspicion onto him?"

Mei Xing looked at Rossi sternly.

"Is that what is called a 'trick question?'"

JJ stared at her. "Excuse me?"

"You are the FBI. Do you not know about my family? Or are you checking to see if I am dishonest to you?"

Rossi decided to tread with caution. "We know that your brother came here as soon as he legally could and took you with him. Were you two running from your family?"

Mei Xing laughed humorlessly. "That is very near the truth. Our family- my father especially- has many ties to gangs and other bad groups. He wanted Older Brother to also deal in these… what are they called? Mafia." She refilled her teacup. "He wanted no part in it, so my father grew angered. Older Brother took me with him to America using his own money."

JJ was surprised. Garcia hadn't said anything about Mafia ties. "What is your father's line of… business?"

Mei Xing looked at her with the sudden appearance of a girl much older. "You have no jurisdiction where he is, and even if you did. You would not be able to find him."

Rossi narrowed his eyes. "We are not here to prosecute your father. Please answer the question."

She directed her gaze at him, then at her feet. "E," she mumbled, seemingly disgusted by the single letter.

_Ecstasy, _JJ thought. _That isn't too far-fetched. _ "Thank you. Now, can you think of someone related to your father who would hold a grudge or resentment towards your brother for leaving?"

Mei Xing looked at them as though they hadn't been listening to a word she said. "My brother has only one true enemy, and that person will stop at nothing to see his downfall."

"And that person is…?" Rossi prompted.

"Our father, of course."

* * *

**[A/N] The plot thickens. :C**

**We get the first indication of Hotch/Reid in this chapter. We also meet one of the main OCs~ she will play a minor role in this story. Her brother is a much bigger player in this game.**

**I'm still a little worried about writing this, but I'm sure it will be fine.**

**Thank you very much for reading.**

**EDIT: 4.5.2011 Fixing up things because FFnet user maryjaneleaf has been super helpful about pointing out a huge flaw in my story… lack of research. I don't know anything about drugs, so I'm trying to patch this mess I've made up. **

**Things will be in construction for a few hours. **


	4. Sforzando

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

**

* * *

**

**Sforzando **[A sudden stress or accent on a single note or chord.]

* * *

"He _what_?!"

Morgan looked up from the files spread out in front of him. Johnson choked on some of his coffee in surprise.

Prentiss looked absolutely livid. "But Garcia didn't say anything… Ugh. Do you know how complicated this could get if the case is involved with… yes, JJ, I'm aware of our limitations, but that's not… alright. I'll see you guys back in 15." She snapped her cellphone shut. "Ugh."

"What was that all about?"

Prentiss sighed loudly and looked Morgan in the eye. "From what his sister says, our person of interest has a dad in the Chinese Mafia. And she went on to say that the father and Wai Li Jung are _not_ on the fondest of terms, so…"

Morgan groaned. "Great. That makes this case way more difficult than it should be."

Johnson looked at the two agents, clearly surprised at how they had handled the news. "Is it really all that bad?"

"Think about it. Up until now, we've been working as though the UnSub is someone local, someone domestic, someone who follows Wai Li Jung around and acts on his own agenda," Prentiss said.

Johnson looked even more confused. "But, he still could be- right?"

"Yeah, but now there's the possibility that the UnSub is one of Jung's daddy's goons, following orders to ruin Jung's career since there's some father-son hate." Morgan flung the folder he was holding onto the desk with a loud _slap_. "Not only that, but if the guy flees back to China after he finds out we're on him, it'll be hell trying to get him back."

Prentiss slumped into a chair next to Morgan. "And if he's just hired help or one of the father's cronies, he'll be much harder to profile. We could try to find every member of the gang the father's in and narrow it down from there, but that'd be near impossible and it would take too much time anyway. By the time we cut the names down to half there would probably be another performance scheduled…" She gasped.

Morgan jumped a little. "What's wrong?"

"We have to call Hotch and Reid. If they're planning on asking questions after the performance ends, they need to know about the Mafia connection."

"Right…" Morgan nodded and reached into his pocket for his phone. "I'll call them."

"Aren't they in the concert right now, though?" Johnson looked at his watch. "It's already 9:30."

"Yes, so…?"

"Wouldn't their phones be turned off? You know, like the usual audience etiquette?"

Prentiss smiled dryly. "They're agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. People will make exceptions."

* * *

"He's beautiful."

It wasn't something Hotch would usually agree to, but in this situation, he nodded.

Reid looked down at Wai Li Jung, absolutely transfixed. The Asian man onstage looked almost unhealthy in his slimness, but stood firmly in front of the orchestra, performing his third solo of the piece. His eyes were closed in concentration. He was clearly in his element, at home among the great whirlwind of sound he was commanding. Sweat glistened at his brow, made visible by the bright stage lights overhead.

He was indeed beautiful.

Reid and Hotch stared at him in awe. The music had a fast tempo and the violinist's arm quickly became a blur. He flicked back black sidebangs with an upward toss of his head and played without rest or hesitation, each note falling perfectly.

Reid's phone vibrated. He almost wanted to ignore it in favor of watching Wai Li Jung's performance, but quickly sorted through his bag and pulled it out. It was Prentiss, and she wouldn't have called him in the middle of the concert without a good reason. He turned to Hotch and made a vague gesture as he flipped open the phone. "It's Reid," he said in a normal voice level. After all, he and Hotch _were_ in a private box.

Garcia would never let him live this down.

"Reid, it's Prentiss. Rossi and JJ just checked in with something huge."

"I'm listening."

"Wai Li Jung's father is a Mafia man. He deals in drugs and wanted his son to get into the business too; Jung refused and took himself and his sister to America."

"…Okay. Wow."

"Yeah, I know. We need to get as much information as we can concerning this link, okay? Garcia's working at it but there are too many possibilities and not enough solid facts to go on."

"Alright. I'll tell Hotch."

"Thanks. Enjoy the concert."

Reid pressed the "end call" button on his phone.

Hotch glanced at him. "Did they get something?"

"Yeah. Wai Li Jung's father is part of the Chinese Mafia."

Hotch went through the implication of the statement in his head, along with the now-necessary action the needed to be taken, accordingly. "We'll mention it in passing. Don't make it seem like it's a big deal, or he'll probably do the opposite."

Reid nodded. The two of them focused their attention back at the musicians, thinking the same thing.

_What now? _

* * *

"It's a big city, huh?"

"Yeah." JJ looked out the passenger window of the black SUV they'd been provided. They were stuck in traffic, and Rossi had taken his hands off of the steering wheel in favor of rubbing his temples. "This place is really packed."

"It's late. It's Friday. People are out partying, eating, socializing." He sighed. "Adding that to the people trying to get back home from work, you get one great Hell of honking cars and red lights."

JJ almost smiled. "It's like we have no life at all, huh?"

Rossi shrugged and put his hands back on the wheel, waiting for the streetlight in front of him to turn green. "It's the side effect of working a job like ours. The whole team really needs a break, actually. It might be nice to hit one of the bars around here after the case is finished."

They exchanged glances. That probably wasn't going to happen.

The light changed. Rossi stepped on the gas pedal.

From his peripheral vision, he saw a red pickup on his left lurch forward.

The two cars collided before he had a chance to say, "Shit."

* * *

**[A/N] Cliffhanger! I've never written one of those before... I think.**

**Wow. For me Rossi is a difficult character to write. So is Prentiss. So is Hotch. ARGH. I feel as though I can't write any of them properly. D : -insert depressed feeling here-**

**So, we finally get a look at the allegedly beautiful OMC. I'm not really sure what he looks like, actually. Right now I can only think about his personality, which you'll see soon in the chapters to come.**

**I feel as though the chapters are losing length(?)**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	5. Upbeat

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Upbeat **[The last beat of a measure, a weak beat, which anticipates the downbeat (the first beat of the next measure).]

* * *

Garcia was just about ready to turn in for the night.

30 minutes after she decided to stay a little longer, she was immensely glad she had.

"Garcia."

"Hmm?" She adjusted her headset. "Good evening, JJ. What can I do for you tonight?"

"Garcia… Rossi and I… we've just been hit. By a car."

Garcia flew out of her seat. "Are you two okay?! Oh my god. I'll get an ambulance to you. Oh, my god." She typed frantically, pinpointing JJ's location and sending it to emergency response simultaneously. "Hold on, sweetie. They're on their way. Oh my god. Are you alright?!"

JJ inhaled shakily. "I'm fine. The car hit the driver's side. Rossi's conscious, but I can't tell if he's injured or not." She quickly assessed her own condition and her surroundings. "I'm fine. I might be bruised a little but airbags do wonders. I think we were the victims of a hit-and-run. The pickup that hit us is still there."

Garcia felt anger replace her fear. "I need the model, the color, the license plate, anything." She opened up a search module on a computer screen. "I don't care if it was an accident. Only cowards run away, and this one's going down."

JJ lifted her head to look beyond Rossi's head and out the window. "It's red. It's… a Toyota. Tacoma, I think. I can't see the plates. I think they've been taken off." She shifted. "I'm going to try to move. I need to check on Rossi and I can't do that without going around the car."

Garcia nodded. "Be careful. Oh, god. Take it slow, JJ."

"Right. I will." She kept the phone in her left hand and opened the car door with her right. Quivering, she went around the back of the car. Other drivers were honking, going around the two cars that had crashed. In the distance, she thought she heard sirens.

The only thing in her mind was to check on Rossi, to make sure he was alright. As soon as the red pickup truck came into her vision, she thought of other things entirely.

"..Garcia?" She put the phone back to her ear, trying as hard as she could to keep it steady.

"What's wrong?! Is Rossi okay? What happened?!"

JJ pulled the phone up in front of her, turning on the camera function. "I'm sending pictures your way. You're going to want to see this."

* * *

"They're taking a while, huh?"

Johnson looked over at Prentiss. "They're probably stuck in the commuter traffic around now. Not to mention the amount of pedestrians stumbling around drunk with their friends," he said dismissively.

"You can call JJ if you like," Morgan stated.

"Yeah, I might-" Prentiss' phone rang. "Or, she can call me." A glance at the caller ID said otherwise. "Or, Garcia can call me." She flicked the phone open and turned it on speaker. "Hey, Garcia. Did you get anything?"

Garcia's voice wavered. "Rossi and JJ have just been in a car crash. They're fine, but I need you to see the car that hit them. Keep your fax machine on."

Morgan stared aimlessly, open-mouthed and in shock.

Johnson rushed to the fax machine as it whirred to life and brought back three full-page photos.

The pictures each focused on a red Toyota Tacoma, or more specifically, the writing that was on it. Spray-painted in back on the hood were the words, "STAY AWAY."

Prentiss put a hand to her mouth. "They know we're here."

* * *

_Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzt. _

Reid groaned under his breath. The performance was just coming to a close! Why, oh why, did his team have to call him at that particular second?! Wai Li Jung played a final note with a wide sweep of his bow before lowering his violin and bowing to the audience. The crowd went wild, standing and cheering and clapping. He bowed again.

Reid opened his phone and put it to his ear. "It's Reid."

No response. "Hello?"

He brought it back down. Oh. Text message. Oops. He grinned sheepishly at Hotch, who was looking at him, alarmed.

"Reid."

Reid realized that his superior's phone was also open.

"Read the message."

He complied.

"JJ and Rossi have been in a car crash. JJ is fine. Rossi has been hospitalized with minor injuries. Open the attachment. Garcia."

_Oh my god. _He opened the JPEG files, which pictured the pickup truck that had hit his teammates. The writing on the hood made him shiver. "Hotch, this means…"

Hotch got out of his seat and looked out towards the orchestra members, who were closing their sheet music and gathering their instruments. "Whoever this UnSub is, he's well-informed. Let's go, Reid. The sooner we get down there, the sooner can get some answers."

They went down two flights of stairs at a speedwalk and flashed their badges at a frightened stagehand. When they arrived at Wai Li Jung's dressing room they found him sitting down, speaking with an older man who stopped and looked at them suspiciously. "Who are you? Who let you in?"

Hotch retrieved his badge. "My name is Aaron Hotchner. This is Dr. Spencer Reid. We're with the FBI."

The man seemed unfazed. "What do you want?"

"We're investigating the murders of several musicians who had played with Mr. Jung-" He motioned to the seated violinist, "before their deaths. We'd like to ask him a few questions."

"You will do no such thing-"

Wai Li Jung interrupted him "No, Mr. Roberts… I would like to help them."

'Mr. Roberts' turned to him. "Might I remind you that you are under the revised terms of a strict contract?!" He hissed, eyes slanted.

The intended party nodded and looked the older man in the eyes without defiance, but without submission. "Your contract does not choose who I talk to."

Eyes slanted into even thinner slits. Roberts turned to the agents angrily. "I assume you'll want to talk with him alone." As he left, he said only, "You'd better watch yourself, Wai."

"Yes, sir." The door to the dressing room slammed shut. Wai Li Jung exhaled slowly. "My manager." He explained, "He merely cares for my well-being, he is not usually a temperamental man."

_Could've fooled me, _Hotch thought. "You're all right with answering my questions, then, Mr. Jung?"

"Yes, of course. Ah, but, you do not have to call me 'Mr. Jung,' Wai Li is fine, or Wai if you prefer." He looked at the closed door from which Roberts had left. "My manager has chosen to do as such."

Reid took note of the stiffness in voice at the last statement. "Mr. Wai Li…" That sounded strange. "Wai Li, we need to know about the deaths of your former performance partners."

Wai Li sighed through his nose and brushed his shoulder-length hair behind one ear. "They were good people and wonderful musicians. Some of them had families- daughters and sons who will be without a father or mother as they grow." He placed his hands in his lap and looked down at them. "They will be missed."

_Tear-jerking, but that doesn't help us. _Hotch noticed Wai Li's mention of 'daughters and sons without a mother or father.' For some reason he thought of JJ and Rossi. "Speaking on that note, we also meant to ask about your father. From what we've gathered, he is a member of a Chinese Mafia group…?"

Wai Li looked from Hotch to Reid in panic. "How? How did you know this? Mei Xing told you this, did she not?!"

_Whoa. _Reid placed his hands in front of him to calm the other man down. "Yes. Your sister told us." _Well, not us specifically, but…_

Wai Li slumped back into his seat, looking troubled. "Take her words cautiously. She is quick to blame my father for any misfortune that hinders me."

Hotch's brow wrinkled as he worked his way through Wai Li's words. "Are you saying that you _know_ who is responsible for these murders?"

The young man shook his head, regaining composure. "I am not. I am only saying that Little Sister thinks she does."

Hotch seemed to accept this answer. "Let me ask you, then- do you have any ideas as to who might be the murderer?"

Wai Li shook his head. "I do not. I knew little of their private lives outside of their music, and as far as I am aware, I have no enemies."

"Besides your father, you mean?"

Wai Li stared at Reid, his brow furrowed. "Again, I must suggest you not be so influenced by Little Sister's words."

_Just what was going on in this family? _They wouldn't make any progress in this direction. Reid changed the topic. "What about fans? Someone in the crowd who deluded themselves into thinking you belonged to them- they would have felt threatened by your duet partners and, if mentally unstable, could have resorted to killing them."

Wai Li smiled faintly. "I am not a 'rockstar', Dr. Reid. This genre of music attracts slightly more… sane audiences."

_…He just insulted the fans of rock music, and by extension, rock music itself, _Reid realized. And even more startling was the delivery of the insult: what Wai Li said had actually been _funny. _

Hotch found this highly amusing as well, and fought to keep a smile from emerging. "Still, is there any possibility?"

The musician shook his head. "None that I am aware of."

Someone outside knocked on the door. _It'll be just our luck if it's Roberts. _Reid thought. But the door opening revealed an Asian man about Wai Li's age.

"Oh, sorry. Are you busy, Wai? I can wait." He started to close the door but Wai Li stopped him.

"No, it is fine. I believe we are done here for tonight, yes?" He looked at the two agents, who looked back with expressions that said _no, actually, we are not done. _Wai Li sighed. "I am sorry to leave in such an impolite fashion but it is very late and my friend is my means of transportation home." He gestured to the man at the door.

"Hi. I'm Liu." He nodded at Hotch and Reid. "Sorry to take Wai from you, but he's right, y'know."

_Carpooling? _Hotch offered a hand for Liu to shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Aaron Hotchner. This is my friend, Spencer Reid." He gestured in Reid's general direction behind him. "Do you work here?" He had a tattoo on his left arm, partially obstructed by his sleeve. The man's clothes were casual, but he could have changed, or could be a stagehand or part of the sound crew…

Liu shook Hotch's hand lightly. "Nah, my musical talent's pretty much non-existent. Wai's the one with the real skill. I've been working at one of the bars nearby, part-time. It's a real classy place." He pointed out the door, where orchestra members chatted and gathered their belongings. "We get a lot of high-class folks. The performers here drop by sometimes too, after a big show or something. Y'know, to celebrate."

Reid nodded. "Where is it?"

"Corner of Main and Sixth. It's called Synchronicity. Big, white building. Can't miss it." He grinned. "Sorry again, but it's like, really, really late. Wai's up past his bedtime."

Wai Li punched his friend on the arm playfully. The two laughed.

Hotch did a double-take. He hadn't seen such a youthful expression on Wai Li's face until now. It was… nice.

"I will be taking my leave, then." Wai Li pushed Liu out the door with both hands, rolling his eyes at the agents and smiling.

Reid remembered, suddenly, what he had meant to do earlier. It was a long shot, but… "Wait!" Both Liu and Wai Li looked back at him. He grabbed his phone and pressed a few buttons quickly.

He brought one of the pictures Garcia had sent. "I know it's a little weird, but do you recognize this car?"

Wai Li shook his head. "Sorry," He said. "I've never seen it before."

Liu whistled. "I have. The police blocked off a bunch of lanes because of that car there. It got into an accident with an SUV." He took another look at the phone's screen and shook his head again. "People drive crazy these days. Well, it's not _my_ car that got smashed, and that's what counts." He smiled grimly.

Reid sighed. "Thank you very much."

"No prob." Liu pointed at Wai Li. "He needs his beauty sleep. I gotta take him home."

"Liu!" Another punch.

Hotch and Reid smiled.

* * *

**[A/N] Okay, so here's how Hotch's reaction to Wai Li and Liu fooling around _should_ have been. **

**Not**

"Hotch did a double-take. He hadn't seen such a youthful expression on Wai Li's face until now. It was… nice."

**Instead,**

"Hotch did a double-take. _S-so cute, _He thought weakly. Ugh, he really needed to use some of that vacation time..."

**lololol.**

**Sorry to make the author's note visually appear so long but, did you notice that Hotch and Reid sort of momentarily, completely, OOC-ly lost their focus on the case? No? Good. That wasn't supposed to happen. |||**

**Anyway, yay! New chapter!! A few things: I like rock music a lot. What my characters say may not be what I think, so please don't get angry! It's only fanfiction and these are just made-up characters. Also, doesn't Mr. Thomas Gibson have a very nice voice?! It's very deep and, um... manly, for lack of a better word. (?) I like his voice. If I were a guy, I would want to have a voice like that. It's the sort of voice I like to listen to in an audiobook recording or a news report or, perhaps, a TV series. XD Who agrees??**

***Crickets chirp***

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	6. Dissonance

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Dissonance** [A combination of tones that sounds discordant and unstable; in need of resolution.]

* * *

_Man,_ Morgan figured, _everyone in the BAU is probably more familiar with hotel rooms than their own house. _

He wasn't complaining. This place was definitely cleaner than his. Chuckling, he sat up in bed and checked the time. 2:00 AM. Wonderful. And the only things on TV were news channels and infomercials. He sighed and slumped back.

The empty room next to his, though he couldn't see it, was empty. Rossi should have been there. He _would_ have been there, if some sunuva bitch hadn't rammed his car into Rossi and JJ's. Instead, he was at a local hospital a few miles away.

_STAY AWAY. _

Who the hell could it have been?! They'd been in LA less than 24 hours. They'd went to the hotel, went to the precinct, went to the latest victim's home, and went back to the precinct… Those were the only places where anyone could have seen them. At the moment, the victim's house seemed to be the most likely. Someone passing by could have seen them exit and followed them back. But what were the chances?! What were the chances of a random passerby wanting them out of the case? Morgan froze.

A possibility. The murderer had been lurking outside the house on a constant basis, keeping an eye out for police. There were flaws in this scenario, but still.

_Dammit._ This was frustrating. _Other possibilities, Derek. Come on. _It could have been at the precinct. If someone overheard them discussing the case, and wanted them to keep out… It was also possible. He made a note to ask Officer Johnson about the staff.

Time to form a preliminary profile, then.

This asshole would be smart. Paranoid. Probably working alone, so the same person who murdered the five musicians would be the same person who smashed his car into JJ and Rossi. He'd appear normal, pry into other people's business often, and have no qualms against killing anyone who got in his way.

And that was if he _wasn't _a Mafia man.

If he _was_… Morgan closed his eyes. This case wasn't particularly interesting, difficult, horrid, or unique, but everything they were finding out about it sure wasn't helping.

And all of a sudden, for no real reason he could think of, Morgan thought, "What if Jung has an ex-lover? She might be convincing herself that Jung's duet buddies are his new life partners and killing them out of jealousy."

He groaned- _Where the hell did that come from?-_ and willed himself to sleep.

* * *

"You're sure you're alright?"

They were talking in the hallway as Prentiss carried JJ's stuff, along with her own, to their rooms. JJ was in perfect condition to carry the bags, but Prentiss had insisted… JJ shook her head. It was nice knowing that the other woman cared, but…

"Emily, I'm fine. I don't want you to worry. Really. They already checked up on me- I'm good to go. A few days and I'll look the same as always." JJ brushed long blond hair away from her face.

…Which revealed a dark blue and purple bruise on her left cheekbone.

"Oh, gosh, JJ…" Prentiss reached for her, then drew her hands back. She sighed. "I guess there are worse things that could have happened."

"You're right. I'm incredibly lucky to get out with just a bruise. Even Rossi is lucky, considering that he took way more of the impact than I did." Before Prentiss could ask, she answered, "He's in stable condition. The medics said that they can't release him until they make sure his motor skills haven't been affected, though, so we're going to have to wait a few days."

"Thank God."

"I know." JJ eyed her friend's heavy eyelids and slight wrinkles at her brow. "You need sleep."

"You didn't need to be a profiler to figure that one out." They laughed as they came to their hotel rooms, side-by-side. Prentiss opened the door to JJ's before the latter could protest, then gently pushed her in and handed her the bags. "'Night, JJ."

JJ smiled. "'Night."

Prentiss closed the other woman's door and went towards her own.

What a day it had been.

* * *

So. Many. Unanswered. Questions.

Hotch took off his jacket, put his bag onto an armchair, and dug through it, removing from it a toothbrush, toothpaste, and set of sleepwear. He really hadn't expected to return so late. It had taken most of his willpower not to fall asleep in the ridiculous pedestrian traffic on his drive back to the hotel with Reid. He wanted nothing more than to flop onto the bed and sleep, right there on the spot, but personal hygiene called. He locked the bathroom door behind him.

Hotch hadn't been expecting to catch the UnSub and tie up the case in barely one day, but he hadn't been expecting someone to identify, target and injure two of his team members in the short period of time, either. Now the case was personal- and several times more dangerous. He felt responsible for JJ and Rossi's injuries, though he knew the crash hadn't been his fault. But indirectly…

_Motivated by revenge; so be it,_ He thought. _I just want to get this guy behind bars, where he belongs. _

But there were so many unanswered questions. The Unit Chief washed his face and ran a hand through his hair, taking note of the imposing bags beneath his eyes. He sighed.

He went over the facts of the case mentally, propped up by pillows laid against the headboard of the hotel bed. The UnSub was living locally. He had started killing recently. There had to have been a stressor, but there was nothing to go on there, yet. He'd had to have been fairly strong to subdue his victims, or he knew how to obtain drugs for the purpose.

…That described most of the killers in LA. Hotch sighed, too tired to feel exasperated.

But, he realized, these killings could be prevented, couldn't they? If the killer was targeting any musician who played with Wai Li, then all that had to be done was…!

No further duet partners, no further murders. It was that simple. Why hadn't anyone thought of this before?! Hotch slumped into the pillows. Would that go well? Would that be giving in to the killer's goal? Was the killer's goal to force Wai Li into becoming a solo performer for life? Why had Wai Li continued to schedule performances with partners? _Five people had been killed!_

And why hadn't he thought of this sooner? He could have asked Wai Li…

Hotch felt himself drifting into sleep, his body forcing him into rest due to sheer exhaustion. _Everything surrounds Wai Li…_

The questions lingered without mercy. This case was personal now. The UnSub would be found…

_Who is the UnSub? Why is he killing? What does Wai Li's family have to do with this? Why haven't the performances been canceled? How does the UnSub know we're here? _

_When will we get some answers?_

* * *

Reid wasn't sleeping.

He knew that he should have been, seeing that cumulative sleep deprivation was a leading factor in vehicle-related injuries_ -Rossi and JJ-_ but he wasn't. He was, as associated with Spencer Reid, thinking. Deeply.

He wasn't sleeping because he was worried.

Not quite worried, but certainly on edge. There were so many aspects of the case that raised alarms in his head, but one of them stood out most of all- Wai Li Jung. The second that Reid had met the man, he had felt an "intellectual attraction" to him, for lack of a better phrase. Wai Li could easily have been a genius, perhaps not academically, but in music, without a doubt. He was young. He was driven. He was frail and soft-spoken, but asserted himself strongly, without hesitation. Reid felt that he could relate.

And yet, there was something else that had appealed to, or perhaps, alerted, Reid's senses. He couldn't quite place a finger on the feeling, but categorized it as 'intuition.'

Garcia had once scolded him for that; she insisted that only women knew what intuition was.

Reid tried not to roll his eyes and failed.

Unable to sleep due to the anxious feeling, he rummaged in his shoulder bag and extracted from it a pen and a composition book. Sitting on the comfortable queen-sized bed, he dangled his feet off the edge and opened the note to a blank page.

**Wai Li** he wrote in the middle of the page, and drew a quick circle around the name. He drew a line and connected it to **Mei Xing (sister)**, which was circled as well. From the two circles he extended lines upward- **Father (Chinese mafia).** He then wrote on the other side of the page the names of the five victims.

Next to **Wai Li** he added **Liu** **(friend, question?) **and **Mr. Roberts (manager, question?)**, then proceeded to draw cardioids and lemniscates in the margin. He _really _needed sleep…

But the case was still bothering him. He wrote **drugs** next to **Father** and tried not to think of Dilaudid, of graveyards and death and _Hankel_. Reid shivered. He added **car crash** next to **Father**.

His mind worked at inconceivable speeds despite his exhaustion. _What connects these people with the murders? What part could they have played? What do we need to know most of all? _

He stared at the two pages for exactly 48 seconds before deciding that his efforts would be wasted if he could not get enough rest to work effectively the next day. Reid took off his watch and realized vaguely that it _was_ the next day already, and unless he wanted to kill himself through caffeine poisoning _-no such thing-_ he would have to get his 3 to 4 hours of sleep as soon as possible.

He'd probably end up drinking his weight in coffee anyway.

Clicking the pen in his hand distractedly, Reid had the urge to title his pseudo-flow chart. He'd done so before, using the aliases of serial killers or special features of a case, but this one… how was he to label it? _The Violinist_, he mused, but that was misleading seeing that Wai Li wasn't the murderer…

…As far as the BAU knew.

Without much thought, Reid scribbled _The Essentials_ on the top line of the left page, and set the notebook and pen onto the bedside dresser before drifting asleep.

* * *

**[A/N] I'm back from my little break, everyone- and I'm happy to find out that many people have been tracking this story~! I'm relieved that it's alright. So I'll tell everyone a little secret: I've already figured out how the story is going to end. And by "already," I actually mean "finally."**

**Also, Reid has unknowingly given this fanfiction its title. Heehee. And also, did anyone notice how Matthew Gray Gubler has beautiful hands? They're very slender and similar to a pianist's. (Great, first Mr. Gibson's voice, now Mr. MGG's hands... is this what people call 'fetish fuel?') But really, they're very graceful and he has very long fingers. Arrgh. I'm doing it again. (Before I shut up, let me mention that his acting is also very amazing~!!)**

**Please stick around! More interesting things are bound to happen in this story very soon!**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	7. Stretto

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Stretto** [The overlapping of the same theme or motif by two or more voices a few beats apart.]

* * *

"Good morning!"

"A matter of opinion," Reid grumbled under his breath. No offense meant to Officer Johnson, of course, but the man was awfully… energetic, this morning. Reid wondered why. Johnson had gotten little more sleep than the agents had. By all accounts, he should have been less motivated than yesterday.

Morgan picked up on the tone of Reid's voice easily. "Mornin' to you too, sunshine. Did the concertos keep playing in your head last night, or was it the pretty violinist that kept you awake?"

Reid spilled the coffee he had been pouring and struggled to form a coherent sentence. "The- the… pretty violinist? You're talking about Wai Li Jung?"

"I'm sure he is," Prentiss said, a coffee cup of her own in hand. She looked unhealthily stressed. "Garcia sent him info on everything and everyone we know about this case. Photoshoots of the 'pretty violinist' included." She pointed at a few files lying on a table to Reid's right. "Morgan's been looking at his pictures non-stop since these came in. Don't let Hotch see him or he might suspect a newfound case of pedophilia."

"Wai Li Jung isn't a minor." Reid snorted and opened the nearest file. "I'm more worried about Morgan's sexual preference at the moment." _And my own, now that I've come to this subject._

Morgan scowled at him, then Prentiss. "Hey, not going that way. But even boy genius has to agree with me on this one. When the fax first started coming through I thought these were Jung's sister." He glanced at Reid. "I might have to start callin' you pretty boy number two. This guy takes the prize."

_A title I have _no_ desire to reclaim, _Reid thought. But Wai Li's pictures were, indeed, pretty. Some were obviously older shots and depicted the young man with longer hair, smiling faintly at the camera. Others were candid, pictures of the Asian man thumbing through sheet music and tuning his violin. The shots could, indeed, be perceived as images of a female at first glance. A very pretty female- "Right. Pretty. Where are Hotch and JJ?"

Johnson refilled Prentiss' coffee before going to do the same for Reid. "Your boss is on the phone with your Tech person. Agent Jareau went to check on Agent Rossi at the hospital. She wanted to be there as soon as she could, but visiting hours don't start for a while so she'll have to waiting." He still had that cheery tone of voice and it was beginning to seriously annoy Reid.

"Officer, you seem very eager this morning. Any particular reason?"

"Hmm? Not really, just got a chance to hit the clubs last night." He chuckled nervously, looking at Reid. "I don't know how often you find yourself in that sort of place, but you know… there are people to meet, sights to see." He grinned.

Reid felt unsurprised, irritated, and a little offended. Sure, he didn't go to clubs _that_ often but he had seen his share of dirty dancing and drunks. The rest of the team insisted on this.

"Anyway, we need to get started on this case. Hotch said that he wanted to talk with both Wai Li Jung and his sister today, so I think he has something in mind. There was somewhere else he wanted to go, too, but he didn't give any details." Prentiss set her coffee cup down and picked up a few papers. "He also mentioned that he wanted Morgan and me to talk with Wai Li Jung's manager. Garcia sent in some background on the guy- he's actually got some sort of record."

Reid recalled the man's aggressive and controlling behavior automatically. "Assault?"

Prentiss nodded. "You win. Bail was posted. He spent maybe one night behind bars."

"We need details on that." Hotch swept through the room, adjusting his tie and looking at Reid briefly. "I want everyone ready to go in about five minutes. Reid and I will interview Wai Li and his sister again. They're hiding something and we need to know what. Prentiss, Morgan, I need you to find his manager and force some answers out of him. We'd all better hope that everyone's story matches up." He grimaced. "I want to know why they're scheduling a new performance and who the performance will be with. Keep your phones on."

"They scheduled a new performance?" Johnson looked at Hotch quizzically. "When was this?"

"Garcia intercepted some emails going from one manager to another just now. We're not sure who the performer is but if we want to catch this UnSub, we'd better find out before he does." He grabbed a set of keys from a tabletop. "Reid, I'm starting the car."

* * *

"It would seem that Older Brother is very popular."

Mei Xing opened the door and waved the two men in. They tucked away their identification badges.

"Would you like tea, or coffee, perhaps?"

"We're fine. Thank you." Hotch glanced at Reid. _No more for you. _They'd already had to stop at a fast-food restaurant when the effects of five cups of decaf had occurred to Reid. The young man grinned at him, embarrassed.

Mei Xing sat on a couch by the entrance, across from Reid and Hotch who lowered themselves into matching armchairs awkwardly. "I do not understand why you wish to ask me questions about Older Brother. There is nothing that I can answer that he cannot."

"Actually, there are a lot of things we need to know that only you can tell us, Ms. Jung-"

"Mei. Or if you prefer, Mei Xing."

"-Mei Xing. Starting with your family." Hotch stared at her, looking for a response. "Not just your brother, but your father as well. You told our agents that they were on poor terms with each other. What you didn't tell us-" Hotch produced a double-sided printout, "-was that they've been keeping up with each other. Daily. They've responded to each other's emails consistently ever since you came to America. I want to know why."

Reid checked to see if Mei Xing was as confused as he had been when Hotch had told him- which was a matter of minutes ago. She looked genuinely shocked. Reid focused his attention on her movements. She brushed back hair from her eyes and spoke weakly. "I did not know this. Why would Older Brother be in contact with that person? There is no reason for such a thing." She dropped both hands into her lap and fisted her hands in her skirt. "I was not aware of this. I cannot give a proper answer."

In his head, Reid added actions with word choice. "You have a theory, though."

She shook her head. "No, I do not." Her hands relaxed and tensed rhythmically.

Hotch turned to Reid. _If everyone were this bad at concealing lies then our job would be easy._ "What about numerous transfers of Wai Li's income to a separate account? Does that remind you of anything? Your father has been demanding a steady stream of money from your brother and we wanted to know if you knew why. We also wanted to know why you would pretend otherwise."

Mei Xing froze. "How do you know this?"

_Victory. _Reid did his best not to grin. "A Chinese-to-English translator is unreliable, but translation by hand is significantly more accurate. Although I have to admit, the slang and the unorthodox grammar confused me in some places. But-"

"Reid."

"-Sorry."

Mei Xing ignored their banter. "I believe that our father is… blackmailing Older Brother."

"Over what?" Hotch had considered this. It was the most likely of reasons.

She looked at the two men. "You will not understand, but what I say is very likely to be true."

"I'm sure we've heard and believed stranger things." _Our line of work, after all…_ Hotch knew, in his head, that anything this young woman said would pale in comparison to the craziness in the real world. The only thing that would surprise him would be if she said, 'Older Brother is actually a woman.'

_Actually, that wouldn't be that surprising. Judging from Wai Li's pictures…_

"Older Brother is sexually attracted to men."

And Hotch had been proven wrong.

Reid paled.

In the distance, a car screeched to a halt.

"…You do not believe me?"

Reid cleared his throat and brushed invisible lint off of his sleeve. "A-Are you saying that your brother is being blackmailed over the fact that he's _homosexual_?" That was… different.

"The world of performance arts is as lethal as the world described in tabloid magazines, Mr. Reid." She twirled hair around her finger absentmindedly. "Perhaps it is even more so. These… patrons, the people who listen to the music of an orchestra, many are very traditional in their thinking. Attraction to the same gender is not very much accepted among these people. The companies that control the lives of the performers are also not as open-minded."

"How would your father even know about this?" Hotch tried to make sense of the situation.

Mei Xing shrugged. "It is the reason why our father would not accept Older Brother in the first place." Her eyes widened, suddenly. "I must apologize. I was not entirely honest with the last agents who were present here. My father was angry when Older Brother would not take part in the gang lifestyle. He was far worse when he found out that Older Brother had preference to men."

Hotch predicted a migraine approaching in his near future. "Mei Xing, are you sure of this?" _Does this even pertain to the case?_

She looked at him and Reid in turn, then nodded. "Mr. Hotchner, I do not know if this is the knowledge you are looking for, but it is what I know to be the truth."

Reid sighed. "We'll be asking him about this later. He should be at the Concert Hall preparing for tonight's show." He looked at Mei Xing tiredly. "Do you know if he's willing to speak on this subject?"

She looked at him in such a way that for a second, Reid felt naked. Then, she nodded. "He will. You are his 'type,' as far as I am aware."

Hotch's migraine arrived at full force.

* * *

**[A/N] Poor Agent Hotchner. This case is giving him no end of headaches. :C And perhaps he is secretly wary of the fact that Reid is Wai Li's 'type?!' The mind reels~**

**Anyway, I'm excited because this story is reaching its climax...! And somehow, I can't write the word 'climax' without scoffing. Damned fanfiction. **

**Oh, shoot! The last chapter has the wrong name(!!!) I need to fix that... ;;;**

**What a short author's note. I guess I don't have much to say. How uncharacteristic of me. **

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	8. Etude

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Etude** [A musical composition written solely to improve technique. Often performed for artistic interest.]

* * *

"Get out of my face."

Morgan and Prentiss stared.

"Mr. Roberts, we need to know who Wai Li is performing with. They _will_ be targeted by the killer and unless you want their blood on your hands, you had better tell us who and where they are so that we can at least ensure their safety."

Roberts leaned back in his chair. His office, located only a few blocks away from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, was sparingly furnished and the two FBI agents had been forced to stand in the cramped space. He looked up at them defiantly. "Like hell. You fancy FBI folks are not going to cancel my show and you are _not_ going to bring attention to Jung."

Morgan did his best to produce a glare to rival Aaron Hotchner's. "Sir, we are _not_ trying to cancel your show. We're trying to protect this person's life and the longer it takes for you to tell us, the more time it gives the killer to find his next victim."

"Like I said, like hell. I'm not buying your bull crap about this whole thing. You want to know who he'll be playing with next? Just stick around. I'm not telling you anything."

_Obstruction of justice, _Prentiss wanted to hiss at the elderly man, but in these circumstances… that wouldn't hold up in court. She really wanted to smack the man, but that wouldn't hold up in court either. "Sir, this could be a matter of life and death. Is it really worth the revenue? The publicity? It's a person's life that's at stake."

Roberts glared. "I've got nothing to tell you. The show isn't changing. There's nothing you can do about it."

_God, this man is _not_ getting any of what we're saying through his thick head. _Morgan curled his hands into fists and slammed one into the desk in front of him. "Fine. Then why don't you tell us about something else. Like the criminal record you've got hanging over your head. We'd love to know what that's all about."

Roberts straightened in his chair, eyes slitted angrily. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

Prentiss didn't budge. "You used to manage for another young performer. You pushed him off of a stage and broke his arm. Tell me, was he able to play after that? What had he done to you to deserve that? Did you skip out on your anger management or did he just really, really tick you off that day?"

"You don't know a damn thing-"

"Don't we?!" Morgan shoved his face into Robert's in an utter invasion of comfort-zone space. "We know everything. Your drinking problem, your family issues, the woman and son who left you-" Morgan silently thanked Garcia for her limitless information-gathering abilities. "-you know, he'd be in college right about now. He's about the same age as Wai Li Jung and the last performer you messed around with. So are you screwing with Jung, too? That kid deserves better people in his life than you-"

Prentiss admired the flaming red hue of Roberts' face.

"-and if you know what's good for you, you'll tell us who he's performing with so that you can say you did something right in your pitiful life-"

"OUT! GET OUT OF MY OFFICE! NOW!" The manager's face was livid and his neck bulged at his collar. "GET THE HELL OUT!"

Morgan and Prentiss glared and left. The door slammed shut behind them.

Prentiss glanced at Morgan. "That went well. Are you accusing him?"

He shook his head. "No, that piece of garbage has an alibi just as solid as Jung's. But he's not telling us what we need to know and that's weird." His phone rang and he glanced at the display.

"Talk to me, baby girl. Did you get anything on Jung's unknown soon-to-be duet partner?" He opened a door for Prentiss, who nodded and went through.

"Sorry, babe. The guy who returned the emails manages for at least three people, all of them musicians in the So Cal area. I sent the list to Officer Johnson. He's sending out teams to each of the addresses, but it'll take a while. A _really long_ while. Some of them aren't in his jurisdiction so there are phone calls to be made, people to be alerted, the usual riff-raff." She sighed exaggeratedly over the line. "Law enforcement would be so much easier without law enforcement. We should be spending time developing robot agents instead. We could just give all of them copies of Reid's brain and Hotch's voice box and go off to Hawaii to vaca~tion."

Morgan grinned and walked through the parking lot behind Prentiss. He handed her the car keys and pointed to his cellphone. "Don't put _that_ into the suggestion box anytime soon. I don't think Strauss would take that well. Especially the Hawaii part. And the Hotch part. But keep me posted with the whole duet partner thing."

"Will do, sweetheart."

"Thanks." He ended the call and opened the passenger door.

* * *

"It's not the weirdest case we've ever had, but it's gotten slightly weirder."

Rossi sat up in the hospital bed, looking both curious and worried "How so?"

"Two new developments," JJ sighed. "One, Wai Li Jung is being blackmailed by his father because he's homosexual. Two, Officer Johnson is tracking down four possible targets of the killer- four musicians who could be performing with Jung in the near future. Johnson's trying to get them all into police custody, or at least inform them of the situation."

The senior agent closed his eyes slowly. "You'd think people would notice that whoever the kid plays with ends up dead. Wouldn't you keep your distance, rather than sign up for a concert with the guy?"

"I was thinking about that, actually. But I looked over some recent records on the case and it seems that the media has been pretty quiet about the whole series of murders." JJ frowned. "I think some sort of deals were struck between the managers of the performers and whatever journalists came their way. The deaths were reported, but light on the details. Wai Li Jung was never even mentioned."

"That's a first."

"I know. It's definitely weird." She looked at Rossi gently. "How's your shoulder?"

"In complete and utter agony." He reached up to fiddle with the brace around his upper body, then chose to follow the nurses' orders and left it alone. "We're both pretty lucky, huh? One dislocated shoulder and a few bruises, nothing dislocated on your part."

JJ cracked a faint smile. "I seem to be a little luckier than you," she pointed out.

Rossi thought about shrugging, but realized it would _not_ be the smart thing to do given his current condition. "Whatever."

A murderer on the loose, a gay violinist, a Toyota bearing ominous messages, and two injured FBI agents. They laughed anyway.

* * *

**[A/N]** **How many people saw me break the forth wall?**

**I did it in a very, very discreet way. (Hint: the chapter title! The chapter title!)**

**Anyway, this chapter is boring. The next one won't be. What comes after that... even less so.**

**Nothing is as it appears.**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	9. Vibrato

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Vibrato** [Creating variating pitch in a note by quickly alternating between notes.]

* * *

"For example, sir, Dr. Reid is an extremely beautiful man."

Hotch felt it. Another migraine. One was coming. "Wai Li, I do not understand the relevance-"

"You are attractive as well, Mr. Hotchner."

The migraine. It hurt.

"I apologize if this is uncomfortable to hear for you, Mr. Hotchner, but I am merely stating what I believe to be true." The young man spoke to Hotch but stared at Reid. "The topic of my sexuality can be summarized by saying that I prefer men over women. I think that beauty in the male gender is more appealing than that in the female gender. A perfect example of this is the beauty of Dr. Reid. That is all."

Reid's face burned a bright shade of pink. "Uh… th-thank you?" _This is surreal._

"Wai Li, we're not really here to discuss this." Hotch rubbed at his right temple. "We wanted to ask if your father is blackmailing you over your… preference, and we also wanted to know about your upcoming performance."

"The answer to your question is 'perhaps.' I do not wish to speak on the subject. What are you referring to when you speak of my… upcoming performance?"

"Um, you don't know?" Reid raised both eyebrows, surprised.

"My manager has told me nothing. He has been unapproachable all morning and urged me to not speak with the 'nosy, intrusive FBI scum.' Obviously I am making my own decisions in this matter."

_Mr. Roberts is just a bundle of joy. _"Your manager has a criminal record, were you aware of this?"

"I was told that it was a minor incident in which he was not the aggressor."

_Like hell he wasn't. _"Actually, the facts are a little different than what you were told. That's not the issue here, though. Do you know who you are scheduled to perform with next?"

Wai Li shook his head, looking tired and much older than his actual age. "I do not. I am alerted when my manager finds it convenient to tell me."

_Great, _Reid thought, _another dead end._

A cellphone rang.

Hotch picked it up. "Garcia."

"Sir, did Johnson call you already?"

Hotch glanced at Wai Li, who was glancing at Reid, who was glancing at him. He almost forgot to answer the question. "No. Why?"

"You'll be getting a call from him soon then… they should be back at the precinct by now, sir…"

"Garcia, tell me what's going on."

"Well, boss, whoever this killer is, he definitely knows what he's doing." She paused. "The four musicians connected to that other manager…"

"The ones who might have been performing with…" He glanced at Wai Li again. "What happened? Was one of them killed?"

"No. They're all were. Every one of them. And guess how."

Hotch really, really, didn't want to. "They were shot, point-blank, in the forehead?"

"Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding. You win."

_Shit. _

* * *

"How the _hell _does this guy know? How?!"

"Whoa, Morgan. Tune it down a notch; you're scaring everyone in the station."

Morgan turned to stare at Prentiss, and then threw his hands in the air. "I can't just sit around and do nothing! This guy _knows._ Somehow, he just knows everything and that's _freaking me out._"

It was unnerving. The more Prentiss thought about it… "Morgan, I think whoever it is is in here. I think they're watching us. I think they've got the same information we have and more, and they've been getting it from us. Right now, they're probably relishing in their victory."

Instant paranoia. Morgan scanned the room. Prentiss scanned the room. Officer Johnson entered the room. "What's wrong?"

"A lot of things are wrong, Officer. How did our killer get past you? How did he beat you there? Did any of your men see anyone suspicious?"

Johnson shook his head. "Not a soul. All four houses were picture-perfect. The bodies were right beyond the doors, which were unlocked."

Prentiss felt a chill run through her spine. "…Officer, can you remind me of something? Were the houses of the past five victims also unlocked when you found them?"

Johnson was silent for a few moments. "Yes and no. The keys were in the keyholes. The doors were locked but waiting to be unlocked."

Morgan paused. Prentiss' suspicions had been confirmed. "He did this on purpose, then."

"Huh?"

"Officer… there are a lot of differences between these murders and the last five. The most obvious is the number of victims…" Prentiss looked him in the eye. "But he's sending us a message here. He wanted us to find their bodies, because he found them first."

"This is his way of showing off to us."

* * *

"You can't. You absolutely cannot."

"Mr. Hotchner, I am telling you that you cannot stop me. If you will not help me then I will tell every news channel I know of and go into the city completely unarmed and unguarded."

Reid stared. "Wai Li, you're being remarkably unreasonable. It's entirely uncharacteristic of you and I don't understand why-"

The violinist whirled around to face him. "Uncharacteristic? Respectfully, Dr. Reid, you do not know me, and you are intelligent enough to realize that this is a course of action that is highly reasonable."

"The BAU will not encourage any action that puts your life in any danger of that degree-"

"Then I will do so without association to the BAU!"

Hotch glared at Wai Li. "Let me reiterate. You are suggesting that you claim, falsely, to the media, that you are leaving the country because of the recent string of murders. Then, you wander around until a madman- who has killed his eighth victim today- finds and abducts you. You are seriously suggesting this as a logical approach?"

Wai Li looked at the two agents in turn. "He has broken his pattern of one victim at a time. He has broken his pattern in that none of his victims has even made contact with me yet. I believe you must also break your pattern and the most direct way to do that is through me."

"We just can't do that when there are other possibilities," The idea of using Wai Li as bait had already passed through his mind, but for some reason, Reid had shut it out as quickly as it had come. "Risking your life for this just isn't worth it."

"Whether you will or will not support me is not of my concern. I will not allow more lives to be lost because of my inaction. Already, eight people have died. This is…" His voice cracked.

Hotch's voice lost its professional restraint. "Wai Li, we're trying to protect you here. Do NOT try to play the hero and do NOT do something that will get yourself killed!"

Wai Li glared right back at him. "Sir, you will find that I am extremely stubborn. I am not planning on an early death- I do not believe he will kill me. He has not yet tried. I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to catch the man who is behind these murders."

Reid thought, again, about this idea. If Wai Li were to be used as bait… it was almost guaranteed that the killer would show his face, one way or another. But the risk was just too high…

"Are you asking for police protection?"

Wai Li nodded. "In the ideal situation. That is all I am asking for."

Reid looked down at his shoes, then back up to Hotch's face. "Hotch, I think we should go through with this."

"Reid?!"

"Hotch… look. He's not going to change his mind about this, and if we can get him under constant surveillance this could be done safely. And Wai Li is right. If there's any good time to act, that time is _now_."

"Reid… this is not a good idea. We'd be taking a huge chance."

"Remember that I can do this just as well without your aid as with," Wai Li pointed out.

He and Reid stared at Hotch intensely, and all at once Hotch gave up.

"I'll contact JJ and Garcia. They can publicize your 'leaving the country'. Reid, I need you to arrange security for Wai Li. Get Officer Johnson fully informed." Reid nodded. "Wai Li, do you have a cellphone on you?"

"Yes. I do."

"Call your sister. Make sure she knows that the broadcast isn't real. And call your manager too while you're at it. I don't want to be on the receiving end of his fury."

"I understand."

Hotch punched in numbers and hit the call button. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this."

* * *

Orders are orders!

"When your unit chief tells you to publicize fake information and place a trace on a cute kid's cellphone, you_ know_ something has gone right in the world."

Kevin stared at his girlfriend.

Garcia stared right back, grinning sheepishly. "Well, okay, maybe not 'right,' per se…"

"Again, I'm not even going to ask."

* * *

**[A/N] Let's use the pretty violinist as bait. (I approve!)**

**:D This might end soon. Or, it might not. Ahahaha. I'm not even sure. Right now, the UnSub is probably the person you think it is. The reason for the murders is maybe what you think it is. The secret that ties this case together? I don't think anyone could guess it at this point. **

**No, the big secret is not that Wai Li is secretly a girl. (Inversely, let me say that Mei Xing is not a guy, either. Try Again.)|||**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	10. Glissando

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Glissando **[Sliding between two notes.]

* * *

"Do you think this is the right thing to do?" Prentiss could _see_ JJ's exasperation written all over her face.

The blonde dabbed makeup over the large bruise on her face, wincing as she tried to hurry and take her time simultaneously. "I don't. But it's not about what we think. It's about catching the UnSub and this is the fastest way to do it. Besides," She closed the container of concealer with a _snap_, "if we don't help Wai Li Jung, he plans to take matters into his own hands… and we don't want another victim."

"Right." Prentiss glanced at her cellphone's display screen. "The press conference starts in a few minutes. You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

JJ had offered him the transportation after getting the call from Hotch, so Rossi found that, for once, he had a bit of leisure time. Time to recollect his thoughts about the case. Time to unravel the mystery of the UnSub's identity. He had intended to go somewhere quiet and peaceful, but it hadn't gone quite the way he had wanted.

The bar was very, very loud.

More specifically, it was the people in the bar who were very, very loud. The music was also very, very loud. And the bartender in front of Rossi had to be very, very loud in order to speak with him.

"Sorry, sir, what do you want?"

"Something strong. Surprise me."

The man smirked and reached under the counter for something, and Rossi immediately went into a state of full alarm. The instincts developed from his line of work told him to be very, very careful…

…But the bartender reemerged with a sheet of paper and a pencil in hand. He passed them to Rossi, who was more than slightly confused. "What is this?"

"Well, if you don't have anything in mind then I figure we should give this a shot." He turned the paper to face Rossi and grinned. "It's a survey. Twenty questions. You fill it, I guess which drink is perfect for you, and if you don't like it… you don't have to pay. Sound fair?"

He had just gotten out of the hospital an hour ago and wasn't really in the mood for anything remotely resembling paperwork, but Rossi nodded anyhow. "Sure. I'll play along." He skimmed through the questions- mostly harmless stuff that wouldn't reveal any personal information, yet still managed to intrude upon one's private life. He began checking boxes and filling in blanks.

"So what happened to your neck?"

Rossi looked up at the other man. _Neck? _"Oh, this?" He placed his right hand on the brace that kept his left shoulder in a stiff position. "This is actually for my shoulder. Minor dislocation. Car accident."

"Ouch." The man winced and rearranged glasses on the bar counter. "That's gotta suck."

"Nothing serious." Rossi passed the paper back to him. "Here. Enlighten me."

The bartender glanced at the answers Rossi had filled in. "Too easy." He grinned again and filled a glass with ice. Minutes later there was something blood red and… milky in front of Rossi's seat at the bar. "Go on, prove me right."

_Arrogant much?_ Rossi picked up the concoction and held it to eye-level. "It won't kill me, right?"

The man laughed. "I should hope not. You survived a car crash, you should probably survive this."

Rossi rolled his eyes and took a sip. The drink was… awakening. Spicy and sweet and very strange, with a bitter aftertaste that suggested the presence of whiskey. It was extremely enjoyable. "What's in this?"

The bartender raised an eyebrow. "First things first- will you be paying for that today, sir?"

Rossi sighed. _It's a game of profiling, and he knows how to play. We should try to get this guy in the BAU. _"Yes. It's great. What's in it?"

The other man raised a fist in triumph. "Thai iced tea, tomato juice, whiskey, and a shot of TMS."

"TMS?"

"That's My Secret."

Rossi laughed and took another sip.

* * *

"So, Mr. Jung, how do you feel about the recent string of murders? Do you suspect that they've been intended as a message to you?"

"I'm... sorry, but I cannot say. I can only tell you that this is a very difficult time for me and as such I believe returning to my hometown in Hong Kong will be the right thing to do. If the murders are indeed meant to harm me then I would not want to put myself in a bad position."

"Right. We'll miss your presence here in LA, but whatever happens, we wish you the best. Reporting at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, this is…"

Hotch looked around the building, behind the local news crew, and out above them, into the clouds. _Is this the right move?_

_Ladies and gentlemen, the man we're looking for is one of two people. Frankly, you need to be on the lookout for both. _

_Situation one? This UnSub is someone loosely connected to Wai Li Jung. He's obsessed with Jung and is probably mentally disabled, but never acts as such on the outside. He blends in with a crowd. He's physically in shape and socializes easily. _

_He holds a steady job. He might even have a family. He's familiar with the area- he lives here, used to live here, or holds a job here. We believe that he is anywhere from 20 to 40 years old, and most likely Asian. _

_In situation two, the UnSub is a hired gun. Based on the testimony of the Jung siblings, Wai Li's father has a thing against his son and is more than able to act on that. That makes him much more dangerous, and much more difficult to find. He has nothing against Jung, just following orders. _

_He's a trained killer. He knows what he's doing and he knows what we're doing. He may go so far as to provide misleading evidence to the police. He's not as familiar as the first UnSub, but he still knows enough to get around. _

_He's young, strong, and probably Asian, again. He may or may not have citizenship in the __U.S.__ Most importantly, he's does not want to be caught. He's willing to kill anyone who gets in his way. _

_In either situation, be very cautious…_

Presenting the profile had been difficult, considering the two dimensions of the case, but… Hotch could only hope that the truth would become clear in time.

Officer Johnson came up behind him. "Agent Hotchner, I was just thinking… shouldn't we get Mei Xing Jung into protective custody? What if the UnSub goes after her?"

Hotch paused, considered, and groaned. Apparently, anxiety was dulling his decision-making abilities. "I didn't realize. You're right, Officer. If you could send someone…"

Johnson nodded. "I'll take a patrol car and go out there myself."

"Thank you."

Johnson turned and walked away, while Reid passed him, walking forward. "Hotch."

"Reid?"

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, just tired. You shouldn't worry about me- Wai Li needs our full concern right now."

Reid bit his lip. "Actually, about that… Hotch, are you angry with him? I think, in the circumstances, it is a brash thing for him to do, but really, I think this may lead us to the UnSub…"

Hotch sighed. "It's not that, Reid." He wasn't sure _what_ it was. There was a strange feeling gnawing at him, and he couldn't quite describe it. "I'm just wary of him, not angry. I don't know if he's trying to get closer to us in some way, and I don't know what motivation he would have in doing so."

"You're referring to what he said about me?" Reid felt himself blushing ever so slightly.

"…Yes."

"You don't need to worry, Hotch. I'm not attracted to him. I… I'm not attracted to anyone," Reid lied quickly. He stopped himself. _Why did I lie? _

"Oh." Hotch wasn't quite sure what to say. For some reason, the strange feeling he'd had began to change, and felt heavier…

Was he… _disappointed? _

Hotch quickly shook it off. "Prentiss, Morgan. Is everything set to go?"

Morgan looked over at him. "I think so. Wai Li's got bugs on him and everything, Garcia and the LAPD are set to track him basically anywhere he goes… Hotch, I think he's pretty safe."

Prentiss walked towards Reid and Hotch. "If it's alright, I think it's about time that I checked on Rossi. JJ's holding down the fort with the media, so…"

Hotch nodded. "Go ahead. Keep your phone on."

She left.

Reid stood with Hotch awkwardly, perfectly aware of the tension around them. "So… what now?"

"We wait."

* * *

Mei Xing Jung wanted the murders to stop just as much as everyone on the BAU.

She was less involved in the case itself, but she wanted to be helpful. It seemed she had failed in that aspect. She apologized, silently, to the FBI members who had been so concerned.

But, some secrets had to be kept.

Chances were, she had already said too much. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she shifted her weight and flopped backwards, sighing.

Seconds later, she heard a knock at the door and rushed to answer it. The person behind the door smiled-

"Good afternoon."

-And plunged a syringe into her neck.

Mei Xing tried to scream, but was cut off by a hand at her mouth.

Then, blackness.

* * *

**[A/N] Oh no!! It's the syringe of terror and horrible...ness!!!**

**So. I put the slightest bit of Hotch/Reid into this chapter. Lalalalalala~ And also, Rossi went to a bar. Ahahahaha. What is this 'plot point' you speak of? I do not know what this thing called a 'plot point' is. Insert innocent face here.**

**I'm almost done writing this story~ I'm very excited. But, when I finish I've decided to add a bonus chapter on the end, like an omake. Character art, trivia, chapter summaries, and clarifications to the story will be added onto the end. How does that sound?**

**Speaking of character art... I need to work on it. For some reason, I can't draw Officer Johnson. Maybe because I'm too used to drawing women and girly men. **

**I will go on a quest to learn how to draw manly men. Insert determined face here.**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	11. Allegro

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Allegro** [A direction to play lively and fast.]

* * *

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Very much." Rossi beamed at her. "Synchronicity, huh?" He looked at the building from the passenger-side window. "I'll have to remember this place if I'm ever in the area."

"Hmm." Prentiss focused on the road, paranoid because Rossi was sitting next to her, a little tipsy.

"Where are we going, anyway?"

"Walt Disney Concert Hall. Wai Li is stationed there, for now, and we're waiting for contact from the UnSub."

Rossi regarded her curiously. "When did we decide to use the kid as bait?"

Prentiss grimaced. "Approximately 24 hours too soon, and it wasn't my decision."

Rossi laughed. "Good answer."

* * *

"I need a few moments with Jung."

Morgan stared at Roberts fiercely. "What makes you think you're gonna get them?"

"I'm his goddamn manager. I have the right to speak with him whenever the hell I want, for as long as I want." Roberts strode over to where Wai Li was standing, answering the questions of reporters and journalists. He grabbed the young man by the upper arm and dragged him to the side forcefully. Wai Li stumbled and followed him.

"Keep an eye on him." Morgan muttered into a walkie-talkie. The transmission went to the other BAU agents, the police force involved with Jung's safety, and, most importantly, Wai Li.

However, it was already too late.

Reid spotted the white, unmarked van first. Hotch spotted the shotgun sticking out of the passenger window soon after.

JJ yelled, "Everybody down!" right before shots were heard.

* * *

"Those were gunshots! Those were gunshots!! I am sure that those were gunshots. Oh my god. Oh my god." Garcia typed furiously on several keyboards, opening channels and establishing audio connections. "I'm so resigning. I am so resigning."

_-the hell?!_

_Where did those come from?!_

_Wai Li! Is Wai Li alright?!_

_Where's that kid-_

_Mr. Jung!_

_Where's he going?! Oh, no, no, no. Do NOT let him get to the-_

_Oh, shit. Oh, shit. _

_Mr. Roberts! …He's dead. _

_I need teams on that van! We need to get Wai Li!_

The cacophony of sounds both frightened and relieved her. She had heard the voices of the BAU members… her family, her friends… Her hands shook over the keys. She quickly linked a channel to the BAU's head sets. "Is everyone okay?!"

"Garcia. It's Hotch. Everyone's fine. Wai Li's manager is dead. Wai Li just ran into a white van with no license plates and someone with a shotgun inside. Get his location and link us to the bugs we've got on him. We need to know what's going on in there."

"Right. Of course. Right away." She typed frantically and upped her speaker volume. "Can you hear it?"

_-put bugs on you, didn't they? Nod or shake your head. _

A moment of silence. Cars in the background.

_Lying isn't good for your health. What's this at the base of your neck? I'll take it off of you later. Don't try to move or talk or I'll shoot her. _A chuckle, muffled, in the background. _Actually, I'll let you take a rest, for now. _

_And to the members of the BAU, I'll say: catch me if you can._

Hotch, Reid, Morgan, JJ, and Garcia froze.

* * *

"It's actually simple if you think about it."

All eyes went to Rossi.

"_'Don't move or I'll shoot her_.'" He looked around. "Think about motive later. You sent Officer Johnson to pick up Mei Xing Jung, am I right?"

"He volunteered," Hotch clarified.

"In any case, it makes sense, then. Wai Li went after his sister. Johnson knew who you guys were. He knew what we were doing. He could have gotten all the information that we received, and he could have executed the killings…" Rossi paused.

"Can't be." Morgan looked at Rossi.

"What?"

"Your explanation. Officer Johnson was with me and Prentiss when you and JJ were hit by that truck."

"Then how do you explain…"

The truth fell upon them like hailstones.

_An accomplice._

* * *

Wai Li woke up in the worst situation he had ever woken up to in his life.

The first thing he noticed was that he was having difficulty breathing. The cloth gag in his mouth explained that. The second thing he noticed was his sister, unconscious, and the ropes that kept her restrained on the ground. Her clothes had been removed and she had been beaten. The third thing…

He too was naked and bound, and the tiled floor was dirty.

"Good morning. Evening. Whatever." The voice above him was amused and cocky. He hadn't heard it before. "Sleep well?"

Wai Li looked up into two faces- one he recognized and one he did not.

"Your sister put up quite the fight, you know." The man, the one he didn't recognize, pointed to three bloody parallel lines over his collarbones. "We had to give her another dose. She gave us hell; scratched and punched. Do you plan to do the same?"

Wai Li shook his head.

The man he did know smiled. "Good. I already killed your manager; I didn't want to kill anyone else today." The smile disappeared. "Disgusting. I told him not to hurt you. The way he grabbed you… the thought of him touching you…" The man's face contorted to a snarl. "Only I should have that honor."

He climbed over Wai Li, placing both hands on the violinist's chest. His palms were cold.

"Jesus. Okay. Whoa there. Warn me next time you start getting gay with him. Not everyone here swings that way, you know."

"Then, _Officer, _you can kindly leave myself and Wai in peace. In fact, Mr. Does Not Swing That Way, you should take his sister with you." The man grinned as Wai Li began to struggle underneath him.

Officer Johnson smiled lecherously. "Will do."

* * *

**[A/N] I know who the killer is! I know! I know! Pick me! Insert stupid face here.**

**And gasp! Johnson is part of this conspiracy... the good officer! I thought he was decent! Why would he help the kidnapping and the murders?!**

**And gasp! Roberts is dead! ...I didn't like him much anyways. But what was he doing? What part does he play in this mystery? **

**And gasp! This story is 11 chapters long! **

**And gasp! I should be doing my English homework but this is way more fun!**

**And gasp! Thank you very much for reading.**


	12. Tremolo

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/****OMC****, ****OMC****/****OMC****]**

* * *

**Tremolo** [Quick repetition of the same note or the rapid alternation between two notes.]

* * *

"I can't get a trace on him. I think they've destroyed his cellphone. The locators we put on him are turned on, but they're not picking up signal. He must be underground somewhere, or in a building with electromagnetic interference."

Hotch pinched the bridge of his nose. _I cannot believe I agreed to this._ "What about the team that got sent out to follow that van?"

"They lost it on Main Street. Hotch, there's total chaos out there. They're trying to survey the area from above but it's going to be difficult. Roadblocks have been set up, but they're not functional yet."

Reid looked out into the streets of LA from his viewpoint in front of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

"Main Street, huh?"

"Got any ideas?" Prentiss turned to him.

"No, it's just a theory. Hotch, is it reasonable of me to believe that Mr. Roberts was also involved in the abduction? It feels as though he was dragging Wai Li in the direction of that van."

Hotch pondered. "Okay, so what if he was? That would explain how the killer knew where to find his victims. Roberts knew the identities and addresses of every one of them."

Reid put both hands into his pockets and looked upwards. "Johnson kidnaps Mei Xing and uses her to abduct Wai Li. Roberts was the killer… but he can't be. He has the same alibi as Wai Li, for each of the murders. There are witnesses… Something's off." He turned to the team. "Every single person we've met so far…"

_Every single person?_

In Reid's mind, composition books opened and pages flipped and every name, every little detail of every flow chart unfolded itself. _Every single person. _"What's significant about Main Street?"

Eyebrows were raised at the sudden tone of Reid's voice. "It's… it's a major road in and out of this city. It's got constant traffic issues." JJ looked out at the sidewalks. "It's lined with businesses and people. It's busy and congested."

"Um…" Prentiss paused. "There are a lot of pedestrians?"

"There's a decent bar on Main and Sixth." Rossi snorted. "But that hardly matters at a time like this. Main Street-"

"-And Sixth?" Reid turned to Rossi, then Hotch. "Is it on Main and Sixth?"

Rossi nodded, looking absolutely baffled.

"Is the bar called 'Synchronicity?'"

"Yes. I think so."

Reid went to Hotch's side and stared intensely at him. It was rather unnerving for the older agent, actually. "Reid, what-"

"Hotch, every single person we've met so far has had a connection to this case. Every person save for one."

Hotch looked at him and understood.

* * *

It was an empty room with the exception of a file cabinet in one corner and a metal table in another. In front of Wai Li was a door. Between him and the door was a man.

"Liu…" The corners of Wai Li's mouth were rubbed raw by the gag and ached as the cloth was removed. "Why are you doing this?"

"Shh, Wai, don't struggle. Don't scream, your sister will suffer for it. Oh, Wai." Liu sighed into his ear. "Don't be angry. I'm doing this because I love you. We're perfect for each other. How can you not see that?"

Wai Li jerked helplessly at the rope around his wrists. The knots didn't budge. "Liu… let my sister go."

"How can I, Wai? How can I ensure that you'll stay with me and only me if I don't have a reason for you to stay? Don't worry, soon you'll love me the way I love you. You won't want to leave. Your sister, too." Liu kissed down the younger man's neck and sighed. "I like her because she looks like you. She looks so much like you… and now I have you both. If I squint, it's like having two of you." Liu smiled insanely. "It's like heaven."

Wai Li shivered. "What is wrong with you? Why are you acting this way?"

"I told you- we're perfect for each other." Liu leaned back, sitting on Wai Li's stomach. "Do you remember the first time we met? The drink I served you?"

_I was nervous because I was not legally entitled to alcohol, and had never consumed any before. _"I remember."

"The survey I made you fill out first- your answers. They're perfect. Your interests, lifestyle, passions-" Liu began to move back and forth obscenely on Wai Li's torso. He looked away in disgust. "-we're perfect for each other. And you wrote that you were homosexual, like I am. I couldn't believe that such a beautiful man could prefer men over women when he could have anyone he wanted."

"I… I do not have feelings for you like that."

"Don't say that," Liu purred, bending down again far too close for Wai Li's comfort. "My survey is perfect. I've never been wrong. I'll change your mind, Wai." He smiled again.

From the wall to his left, Wai Li heard someone scream.

Liu kissed him when he tried to say his sister's name.

* * *

"This is it?"

Rossi looked at the barstools, at the dance floor, at the raised pedestal where a DJ would be. "Yes." The bar was creepy. Extremely creepy. The reason for its creepiness was simple: it was dead silent.

Bars were not meant to be dead silent.

"Split up. Check for underground passageways." Morgan checked the walls and dance floor quickly. "If Jung is in here, he's gotta be somewhere GPS signal won't reach."

The glass tabletops were polished clean. Chairs were stacked and in order. Reid looked down. The black tiling beneath his feet was spotless.

"Look at this. Get over here." Hotch rose from a crouch behind the bar and waited until the other agents joined him. He pointed to a stack of papers beneath the counter, and, behind the papers, several dozen plastic bags. "What are these?"

Rossi recognized the papers but not the contents of the bags, which alternated between zoos of pale and half-crushed pills, chalky and powdery-looking. On second thought…

"_It's a survey. Twenty questions._ _You fill it, I guess which drink is perfect for you, and if you don't like it… you don't have to pay. Sound fair?"_

_"That's My Secret."_

Rossi turned to the other men. "How do you make a drink that absolutely everyone- I mean every single person in any given bar- likes?"

Morgan stared at him. "You go neutral? Or just make something pretty standard, I guess?"

Rossi shook his head. "You drug it with something absolutely everyone likes."

Reid grabbed a few of the bags. "I'll have JJ and Prentiss get these tested."

* * *

"Shh. It's alright. There, there. You'll be fine, Wai. In time, you'll grow to like it. You'll start to enjoy it. Shh… Oh, Wai."

Wai Li sobbed into his captor's shoulder.

_How can I get out of here? _He thought, as he buried his face into Liu's collarbone. _There must be a way. I must find a way to separate myself from him. I must distract him and somehow escape. _

The loss of his virginity was regrettable but not his main concern at the moment. His main concern was getting out of Liu's grasp and into safety. His main concern was making sure Little Sister was alright. Wai Li raised his head and backed slowly away from Liu, who allowed him to do so.

"I want… to see my sister. Please let me see her. I want to know that she's safe."

"Anything for you, Wai." Liu pushed two fingers under his chin and kissed him again. Wai Li fought the urge to vomit.

The bartender left and locked the door from the outside.

* * *

**[A/N] Please give me time to apologize for updating so slowly. Life is very busy for me right now so I have not had time recently to work on this fanfiction. I'm very sorry.**

**Remember when I was very worried about writing this story because of many factors? This is my first venture into Criminal Minds fandom, my first story with original characters, I was worried about the number of chapters, my English, my writing... well, I'm no longer worried about those things. I'm now worried about something new:**

**The facts lining up.**

**I'm very scared that in reading this someone will see a mistake in the story; some mystery goes unsolved, a character knows something they technically shouldn't know or vice-versa, the timeline makes no sense... or what if the whole "mystery" part of this fic does not make sense at all? D :**

**After this I feel I will go back to writing short one-shots for a very long time.**

**Thank you very much for reading.**

**EDIT: 4.5.2011 I don't know what drugs are or how they appear or what their effects are because I was lazy and didn't do proper research. FFnet user maryjaneleaf picked up on this. Thank you~**


	13. Expressionism

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Expressionism **[Atonal and violent style used as a means of evoking heightened emotions and states of mind.]

* * *

"LSDs. Lots and lots of them. His supplier must have some sort of unlimited ammo code on or something."

"Thanks, Garcia." JJ turned to Prentiss. "LSDs. Garcia got the report back from the lab." She spoke into her cellphone again. "How about the suspect?"

"One Mr. Liu Yi Long. Asian, born in America, the parents are deceased. He's been back and forth between China and America ever since he was born. He's been bartending for a few years now. He's got a record of battery and assault, breaking and entering, grand theft auto, all the fun stuff. Bail was posted or charges were dropped." Garcia brought up pictures of the man on her computer. He looked so _decent. _"Should I release all this juicy personal info?"

"You might want to hold up on that until we know what the situation is inside that bar. Chances are we won't need to release any info because we've already got him." Hotch looked around the empty bar, as the others on the three-way call waited for him to continue. "We still don't know exactly where he is. There's an upstairs, a rooftop, and all the storage rooms a bar would ever need, but we're still looking for the possibility of an underground. Keep in touch."

"Hotch." Rossi walked over to the agent and pointed to where Morgan and Reid were, crouched near the DJ platform. "Morgan found something."

The two men walked over to their teammates. "What is it?"

"Hotch, look." Spencer pointed to the floor surrounding the platform. "It's all… glossy. As if someone repeatedly repaired and damaged the surface. What if this platform can be…"

Morgan grabbed a stereo system and hauled it off the platform to the side. Hotch did the same with a large speaker.

"Okay. I guess they know what I mean." Reid looked pathetically at Rossi.

"I guess they do."

* * *

Liu skipped a little as he walked through the dimly-lit corridors, expertly navigating the maze-like basement storage area. Things were going so well. He had Wai. He hadn't been caught. Everything had gone according to plan. Well, everything except for the death of Roberts- but really, he hadn't liked the man much anyway.

Yes, everything was going as he wanted it to.

And then he heard screaming.

_Johnson. _Liu snarled a little. _I told that scum _I'd _be the one to break her. If he dirtied her... _He reached the door from which the screams came. "_Officer?_" He called out sarcastically.

"-cking bitch! Aargh!"

Liu froze, his hand over a doorknob. "Johnson?"

"…That bitch- aah, goddamn it!"

"Dammit, Johnson, please tell me this door is locked."

"-the freaking… I'll kill her!"

Liu turned the doorknob. _Please tell me it's not Johnson that screams like a girl._

Johnson was slouched over, sitting in a fold-out chair and clutching at his face. "That's you, Liu, isn't it? Goddamn it! His sister… bitch got away. She woke up. Shit. I thought she was out of it. It was an act. She took my fucking eye out! I'll fucking kill her!"

Liu stared. His hand was twitching.

"Damn it, when I get my hands on her…" Johnson rocked back and forth on the chair, writhing in pain. "I'll tear the bitch to pieces!"

"No."

"What?"

"You're not touching her." Liu walked towards Johnson noiselessly, reaching for the man's gun holster. "You're not touching her. You are no longer needed."

"What? Liu! Wait! No-"

"I'll put you out of your misery now."

* * *

A gunshot!

Wai Li jerked, and shakily stood and strode to the door. "Mei Mei! Aah…"* He collapsed slowly, resting his head against the door. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn you, Liu. How could you?"

He began to cry, then lifted his head, eyes filled with rage and sorrow and pain, and screamed, "How could you?"

And deep inside, Wai Li knew his sister's death was his fault.

* * *

Mei Xing was lost.

She'd heard the term, "rat's maze" many times, but hadn't experienced anything to the effect until this point in her life. She now took pity on any rodents that had gone through laboratory testing.

But "lab rats," she mused, did not have gun-wielding maniacs on their tails.

In any case, she needed to find a way out. There were no windows, no open doors and no sunlight. She could not deduce what time it was but she assumed she was underground. She didn't recognize her surroundings. The lighting was dim, almost non-existent, and the air was musky. Boxes lined shelves on walls and

Mei Xing just wanted her brother.

Older Brother would tell her everything was alright, he would tell her that nothing was wrong, that they would be fine, that he would protect her. But he was not with her now. Mei Xing rubbed her palms over her exposed arms. Everything was so scary. She wanted to be home in the safety of clothing, warmth, and the presence of Older Brother.

A gunshot.

She froze in her sprinting. She had thought that she couldn't be colder but now she was absolutely frigid.

Unsure whether to run towards the shot or away from it, she decided away would be safer and ran with all her might, not feeling any weariness but just pure, unadulterated fear.

_Please, please, be alright, Older Brother._

* * *

Reid watched Morgan and Hotch push the heavy platform aside. _Glad I don't have to do that. _He shifted from foot to foot, hand placed very close to his gun holster as though expecting someone to leap out at him from under the DJ platform as it was moved.

Rossi glanced at him. "Calm down. If there really is a trapdoor to the dungeons under there, you need to be ready to face the dragon."

Reid stared. "Is that some sort of tagline for an MMORPG?"

"…What's an MMORPG?"

"Never mind."

"Get backup ready," Morgan called to them. "I think we've made some sort of breakthrough."

"Right." Rossi turned to the entrance and jogged outside.

Panting, Hotch and Morgan succeeded in pushing the platform a good 6 or 7 feet, revealing a staircase that spiraled out of sight as it descended.

Reid stared down at the newly uncovered passage. "No trapdoor. The dragon is still a possibility though."

Then, a gunshot sounded.

"Move!" Hotch yelled. "Flashlights out. We're going _now._"

They ran down the stairs, Morgan pulling up the rear and radioing Rossi.

"Into the dungeons," Reid muttered.

* * *

**[A/N] I-it was, for some reason, very hard to write this chapter. Sorry for being so slow... again.**

**S-so I'm going to have more confidence in myself as I finish up this fic. Otherwise, I'm just being annoying to myself and others. I should just try my best and not discourage myself starting now!**

***Anyway, let me explain something.* Where Wai Li calls his sister "Mei Mei," this could be taken one of two ways. In China it is pretty common to be endearing to a close friend or family member by repeating a part of their name. ADDITIONALLY, the translation of "mei mei" can be understood as "little sister." It's really not that big a deal but I thought it warranted some explanation. **

**Jung Wai Li is probably 钟慧李。 Jung Mei Xing is probably 钟美新。 Lang Liu Yi is probably 狼刘义。 (these are the most stupid names ever what did i just do) The pronunciation differs from language to language. Also the names I gave them make little to no sense. Except maybe Liu's. he's supposed to be a little screwed up. I wonder if this site reads Chinese?**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	14. Rondo

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]  
**

**

* * *

**

**Rondo **[A musical form where the principal theme is repeated several times.]

* * *

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…"

He was after her. His voice was high-pitched, a sing-song tone that raised the hair on her neck and made her shiver.

_Liu. This man's name was Liu. _Mei Xing remembered the man in brief glances; the late nights when Older Brother would return home tired from a performance of some kind, leaning heavily on the taller man's frame… the times when the two would come home laughing like schoolchildren, and she would be asked to serve them tea… in fact, the three of them had eaten together on more than one occasion.

But, to think that he would be behind her and Older Brother's kidnapping… _Why? _She'd never felt any sort of animosity from the man…

But there was that one time.

Yes. That one time that Older Brother had forbidden her to speak about. The time that they hadn't gotten back until the early morning- not unusual in itself- but upon their arrival, there were two things amiss.

Liu usually drove a Mazda Miata. It was a convertible, red and flashy, and it suited him. Mei Xing thought it a bit too gaudy for her taste, but was told quite firmly that it was "appealing to young women," when she'd mentioned her opinion to Liu.

That early morning, they'd arrived in a Toyota. It was a pickup truck, she'd recalled, and she'd rushed out when she'd realized who the occupants were.

Liu was as he always seemed: humorous, cheerful, joking- but her brother had been a different matter entirely. The second thing unnatural.

_36 hours. _

It had taken 36 hours for him to wake up.

Mei Xing had been scared. Liu had seemed calm at the time, making routine visits, patting her on the back, and assuring her that everything would be fine, that Wai Li would regain consciousness soon enough… but those 36 hours had scarred her.

When Older Brother had woken up, he'd looked at her with dazed eyes that cleared, slowly, and told her, slowly, never to speak of those 36 hours to anyone.

She'd obeyed without question.

And now, as Mei Xing ran, trying to stifle her breathing, she remembered those 36 hours and, even more than that, the look on Liu's face when he'd told her that everything would be fine, that her brother would be awake soon.

* * *

"This place is a freaking maze."

There was silent, unanimous agreement from Reid, Hotch, and Rossi. Morgan had taken the lead in their search through the basement and Rossi pulled up the rear. Guns drawn, senses on full alert, and the sound of their steps echoing down hallways, Reid mused that they did, indeed, look like a party of online RPG players.

Just, with Glocks and bulletproof vests rather than swords and magical staffs.

"Stop," Hotch whispered forcefully. Everyone froze.

Footsteps. Not their own.

"To the right. Go, go!" They rushed down the narrow corridor, unsure of what they'd find there and not yet wanting to know.

* * *

"Have you ever heard of someone who was blackmailed for being gay?"

JJ stalled in her answer. "I'm sure it's happened before. I guess, for some actors or celebrities? Maybe some politicians, too?"

Stationed in front of her numerous screens and keyboards, Garcia nodded to herself. "That's what I thought, too. But I was looking over everything you've sent me on this case and I thought that was the one thing that seemed… I don't know, fishy?" She fiddled with a lock of blonde hair hanging over her ear. "So I looked into the correspondence between Wai Li and his father, again…"

Prentiss adjusted her headset, which was linked to the other two women's. "You found something new?"

"Well, kind of. Not exactly. But get this. There have been a bunch of 'deliveries' made to our little musician ever since his arrival in America. Or, at least, confirmations of deliveries. I don't know if Reid missed that in his process of mass and rapid translation, but I'm pretty convinced that there's been a trade-off. Money for… something."

Silence.

"Garcia, can you look into this as much as you can? That's… we might really need this information. It can't hurt. And there are too many secrets here anyway." JJ paused and turned to Prentiss, who looked equally as resolute. "We need to start getting some answers."

* * *

Wai Li sat on cold tile, alone and restless.

_How to get out of here. How to find Little Sister and ensure her safety. How to exact punishment on Liu. _

He realized that he'd been shaking unknowingly. He didn't know how long he'd been that way.

_How to never, ever, let this happen again. How to break away. How to find the truth. _

He'd been crying, too. He whispered, "Stop," to himself.

_Stop, stop, stop._

How to stop his addiction once and for all.

* * *

**[A/N] Yeah. How many people saw this coming? I did. Hahahahahaha. **

**So? What is Wai Li addicted to? The obvious answer is the right one. The "strange feeling" Reid described upon first meeting him? **

**That's not love, it's indigestion, sweetie.**

**So... yeah. Very short chapter, I apologize, but the next section didn't fit very well into this chapter so I didn't include it. Also, the BAU don't get very much screentime... Mei Xing's flashbacks hogged most of it. OTL|||**

**Sorry for the slow update time! But please believe me when I say _I will not abandon this story, ever. _If a story of mine is in-progress, it actually is. I will not stop until it is complete, no matter how long I take. "The Essentials" will continue until the bitter end. : )**

**Thank you very much for reading, and continuing to read.  
**


	15. Deceptive Cadence

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**Deceptive Cadence **[A chord progression that appears to lead to resolving itself on the final chord but does not.]

* * *

He backed her into the corner and smiled maniacally.

"P-Please don't hurt me. Please! I won't run away. I won't run. I won't." _Damn! _Mei Xing frantically looked around her, from the black leather of Liu's shoes to the black gun he had pointed at her chest, to the black, black happiness in his eyes.

"Now, now, Mei. Why would I hurt you? I have no reason to hurt you. Not if you behave. You just need to come back with me like a good girl." Liu's grin stretched across his face. "Just be a good girl. Don't try to pull anything on me like you did with Johnson. Okay?"

He'd been standing before, but as he spoke he kneeled down, in front of her face, pinning her to the cold wall. Mei Xing had been crying before, but now, with his breath across her face, with her naked back against the flat stone, she found herself unable to even breathe.

_Is this really better than being shot and killed? _She wondered, in the moment that her breath caught.

_It is. I need to live. I need to be with Older Brother. _

"Okay? Okay?" Liu reached out with his hand- the one with the gun- ignored her flinch, stroked her hair, "Just be good and you won't get hurt. There, there. That's a good girl.

And then, suddenly, footsteps and voices and the releasing of safeties on guns.

"Liu Yi Lang, put your gun down and back away from the girl!"

Mei Xing was the only one who saw his smile change.

And she knew she would not escape unharmed.

* * *

"Liu Yi Lang, put your gun down and back away from the girl!"

There was a pause, then movement as Mei Xing shifted to hide her nakedness.

Morgan raised his pistol and took a few steps closer, cautious. "I said, _put the gun down!_"

The UnSub- Lang- turned his head, and said, clearly, "No."

Rossi joined Morgan, ahead of Hotch and Reid. "Don't screw with us. You're putting the gun down, now. You don't want to make this worse for yourself."

"Worse for _me?_" Liu rolled his eyes, gestured to Mei Xing without any trace of familiarity in his eyes. "Not worried much about _her_, huh? Not really concerned if I do this-" he pushed the barrel of the gun to her temple, against black strands of hair "-or this?" above her heart, now.

Mei Xing looked to the FBI agents- to Rossi, first, then to Morgan, who she must not have recognized, then to Reid, and then to Hotch.

Hotch blinked.

Slowly, Mei Xing moved to bring her knees to her chest.

"Sorry, but no." Liu pushed her back, her head slamming into a wall. "Just stay still. I'm a little trigger-happy right now." He grinned back at the agents.

"You don't want to do this, Liu," Hotch began slowly "You shoot her, it's over. She won't be coming back. You won't be coming back. There's no reason why you should shoot her."

"The situation has changed," Liu said cryptically. "I don't need her. I only need Wai. You geniuses should know that already. I'll satisfy myself with just one. He's the one I wanted in the first place. This one was just an extra. A bonus." He laughed. "They're so alike, right? Almost the same face. But like I said, I'll settle for one if that's what it takes."

"It's a bad idea, Liu." Hotch looked to his teammates, nervous now. This UnSub was out of control. Was the conversation helping them or making Mei Xing's chances worse…?

"You wanna test me?" The gun was shifted, wiggled around in one hand. "I suggest you all back out of here before I send some metal through her head. Go on. Give her, her brother, and me some alone time."

Reid blinked.

_Was this it? _

Mei Xing lowered her head.

_They'd had cases far more dangerous, far more complex then this one- was this the end of this case? Would it really be necessary for Mei Xing to die?_

_And they still didn't know what Wai Li's status was…  
_

_Wai Li?_

Reid's mouth opened without his realization.

"I hate to inform you, Liu, but uh, you're not going to be enjoying that alone time anytime soon. Wai Li won't be enjoying it either. You see, we've been talking about you recently. Really recently, actually. I wanted to make sure he wasn't already in a relationship when we decided to, well, get together."

Hotch, Morgan, and Rossi spared him barely an inquiring glance before focusing fully on Liu again. They knew what he was trying and they knew it was a card that would win, if played correctly.

To Reid's surprise, Mei Xing had no discernable reaction.

Liu's eyebrow twitched, barely. "What are you talking about?"

Reid began lowering his gun, doing his best to act as casually as possible despite the cold sweat forming on his neck. "Wai Li said we shouldn't tell you. He told me about the survey you gave him, right? So he said he answered most of the questions hastily. He was afraid you'd been having the wrong idea about him all this time. It's pretty common, misconceptions between people who meet that way. Internet dating, matchmaking sites, you know, things like that. He doesn't blame you, you know. He said it was his fault for misleading you."

Liu stared at him, straight into Reid's eyes and Reid saw anger, uncertainty. "You're lying. My survey is always right. Wai wouldn't do something so carelessly. He wasn't _misleading me_." His voice rose in volume and pitch.

"Right, well, actually, I guess he also didn't tell you, he hates being called Wai, every time you use his name that way, he finds himself hating you more and more." Reid shrugged, gun at his side, held loosely. "These sort of things, you can't really know from a survey."

Liu bared his teeth like an animal. "Liar. I know everything about people from my surveys. It's not so different from what you people do as a job, anyway." He turned to Rossi now, as though just remembering his presence. "Like you. You're headstrong and stubborn and you like being in an authority position. You don't want to live a boring life. You like peace but you secretly like unrest even more."

Rossi stared, shook his head. _Some of that is true, some is not. It sounds more like panicked guessing and generalizations. _

"You deny this?" Liu snarled and turned back to Reid sharply. "Besides. Wai isn't with anyone. He won't ever be with anyone but me. I know. And I know-" Liu's hand, the one without the gun, moved between Mei Xing's legs "-he hadn't had anyone else before me."

The hand moved, Liu smiled, Mei Xing gasped, and Reid spoke without thinking.

"His virginity? Took it three days ago." Reid fought a blush from coloring his cheeks.

Liu stood, causing the BAU agents to all focus their guns on him again, and spoke in a whisper. "You're lying."

"I'm not lying. It's serious-"

"You're lying. Wai needs me- only me- I'm the only one for him-"

"He doesn't want you! It's your own deluded fantasy."

Liu shook. "No. It's not. It's real. Wai loves me. He wants only me. He'll always love me-"

Reid looked straight at him, not even blinking. "He never loved you."

"Wai will always need me!"

"Only for the drugs that you've got him addicted to!"

Liu lifted the gun. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU-"

Two shots, and two cries of pain.

One female, one male.

* * *

**[A/N] C-cliffhanger of sorts? Who was shot? Mei Xing and Liu? Mei Xing and one of the BAU? Or does Liu scream like a girl? I don't even know. **

**Anyway, sorry again for the slow updating. But, I've finally gotten the inspiration/motivation combo I needed to close this fanfiction up. **

**I'm working on character art now, hopefully I can get it done at the same time as the fanfic itself... hm. **

**Thank you, always, very much for reading this story. **

**Oh, and a shout-out to 68luvcarter: thank you for believing in this story and me, its author. Thank you for reading and continuing to read this story.**


	16. Tonic

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

**

* * *

**

**Tonic **[The first note of a scale which serves as the home base around which the other pitches revolve.]

**

* * *

**

"Police backup was sent in to sweep the entirety of the concealed basement of the bar 'Synchronicity' and the intended kidnap victim and his sister were both found and recovered. The two perpetrators were also found within the basement and are being removed from the property. That is all."

"So the victim was the violinist Wai Li Jung, right? Was this a crime against his race or background, or his apparent success? Was it a hostage situation? Do you know the motive for the kidnapping?"

"Yes, the victim's name is Wai Li Jung, but as to the other-"

"Wait, hold on, what are the statuses of the victims and the kidnappers?

"At this time, we're unable to say but we know that the victims are alive and being transferred to EMT-"

"When you say 'the kidnap victim and his sister,' do you mean that the sister didn't have a part in it?"

"Well, at this point in time-"

"Is it true that one of the conspirators was an LAPD police officer?"

"Information will be made available once we-"

"Agent Jareau! Hold on, how many people were involved with the conspiracy to kidnap Wai Li Jung?"

"Right now the BAU is working with LAPD to secure both the victims and the criminals. There is no further comment until a later time."

"Wait, Agent Jareau-!"

"Good evening."

* * *

"Shit. _Shit._"

"The bullet ricocheted. You take care of Lang! I'll get the girl."

"Hang in there, Mei Xing."

"O-older brother. I just want- older brother."

Morgan grabbed Liu by the upper arm, turning him over. The Asian man gasped, sputtering blood.

_Damn. This shit took a bullet to the lung and isn't dead yet._

"Me-Mei…"

"EMT's outside!" Rossi shouted. "We're going to them, they can't do their job properly down here."

"H-hey, Mei." Liu grinned his last grin, blood dripping from the corners of his lips. "I'm glad I at least shot _you_." He wheezed, "I'll be able to keep you with me in death while we wait for Wai."

Cradled in Hotch's arms, Mei Xing slowly turned around, blood from the bullet hole in her shoulder streaming freely. She laughed. Hotch felt the raspy breath hit his shirt sleeve.

"You and I? We don't even have the same destination."

And she passed out.

* * *

"Calm down! We're police. We're not going to hurt you. Wai Li Jung, right? Calm down. You're gonna be okay."

"Little Sister-"

"We've got her too. Don't worry. Let's get you out of here."

"Mei Mei- you've got her? She's alive?"

"Yes. We've got her. She's fine. Are you alright?"

His body shivered from exposure, his abdomen throbbed and burned with pain and he was scared, so scared but Little Sister was alright. She was alive. She was _alive. _

_I'm alright._

"Please unbind my wrists."

One of the men complied; cut the thick ropes with a knife. Wai Li shook his wrists and tried to reacquaint himself with mobility.

"Can you stand?"

Wai Li propped onto his hands and knees shakily, then tried to get up. He held onto a policeman's forearm with one hand, his grip weak, and supported his body against the wall.

"Christ…" One of them muttered.

Wai Li knew what he was looking at- the trickle of dark, dark blood that ran from behind his genitals, down his thigh, pooled on the floor under his ankle.

"You will want to have a 'rape kit' prepared, I think it is called," the violinist said, dryly. "Is there any clothing available?"

* * *

"They're going to have to perform surgery to remove the bullet in Mei Xing's shoulder, but the success rate of the operation is high. It's amazing that the two of them are in such good condition, considering the circumstances." Prentiss gestured in the general direction of the room the siblings were being treated in.

"What's more amazing is the apparent lack of psychological trauma," Rossi began. "It almost seems as though they're unaffected by the entire ordeal."

"You'd think they'd be more emotional about this. Well, I'm sure they are, but it's so difficult to tell-" JJ pondered the siblings' behavior. "Well, I thought that I was just witnessing a typical family reunion when they saw each other. Is it a coping mechanism?"

Hotch nodded. "It's a bit startling, but not unheard of, it could be explained-"

"Is it really so startling?" Reid said, cutting his boss off.

Morgan glanced at him. "Whaddya mean by that?"

"They're not affected because they're in a state of contentment." Reid looked at his team, the rest of the BAU- even thought of Garcia who was probably reclining in an office chair sipping something caffeinated- then found his gaze straying to Hotch unintentionally. He let himself continue that way.

"They're not affected because they're not traumatized. They're happy." He paused, looked at Hotch directly now, wondered if he was being too obvious but not caring. "They're happy because they have each other."

* * *

It wasn't necessary for the BAU team to stay there, of course.

So, they went back to the hotel, seeking much-needed (always-needed) rest.

Most of them did, anyway.

To the team's slight surprise, Reid and Hotch decided to stay behind, which the hospital staff graciously permitted them to do, with the persuasion of Hotch's authoritative voice and the two agents' FBI badges.

"I'm happy that we were able to take this case, Hotch."

The older agent turned to Reid, smiling faintly. "That's the least complex sentence you've said all day. You must be really tired."

Reid nearly elbowed him, grinning in exasperation. "No, seriously. This was one of those cases that made me happy to have this job. Seeing the two of them being able to not worry anymore- well- I mean, maybe not _anymore_, as in _forever,_ but-"

"So, it wasn't just Wai Li Jung calling you 'beautiful?'"

Reid rolled his eyes, suppressing a blush. "Are you still bitter about that?"

Hotch jolted. "Well, I'm not _bitter_, per say, but…"

"Forget it," Reid said. "I was just teasing you."

A moment of silence passed.

"But really though," Reid began again "I liked the time that we spent on this case. I mean, I thought it was… not atypical but- different, somehow. More personal."

Hotch looked at him, then looked across the hallway of the clean white corridor. "You did your job. You did it well. That's something you should be proud of."

Reid bit his lip. _That wasn't quite what I meant. I meant the concert, the private box, the awkward questioning and the feeling I felt when you said you didn't want Wai Li to be too personal with me- Why can't I just say this out loud?_

A nurse, looking tired and unhappy to be on the night shift, came out of the nearby doorway. "Mei Xing Jung has just woken up and wants to speak with Dr. Reid. Wai Li Jung is also awake and wants to speak with Mr. Hotchner." She turned and walked away, leaving no time for questions.

Hotch and Reid exchanged glances. _What's this all about?_

"Guess we'd better-"

"-Find out."

They paused, grinned.

"Be right back, then."

* * *

**[A/N] Sorry if I made any mistakes in this chapter, grammatically or otherwise... My English is slowly getting worse and worse.**

**It may be a while before the next update, I'm sorry. I'm doing my best to keep my momentum going.  
**

**I'm going to keep trying my best!**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	17. A Nessuna Cosa

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

**A Nessuna Cosa **[To nothing; an indication to hold a note until it cannot be heard (this only works with instruments which cannot sustain a note.)]

* * *

"Are you familiar with the _Sherlock Holmes_ stories, Wai Li?"

The Asian man nodded. "Somewhat, Mr. Hotchner."

"After every case, the detective, Sherlock Holmes, would explain how and why everything in the crime happened. He'd do this under the pretense of explaining it all out for his partner, Dr. Watson, but in reality it was for the benefit of the reader."

"So you are the reader, in this situation, Mr. Hotchner? Or the Dr. Watson?"

"I'll play both parts."

Wai Li sighed, shifting in the hospital bed. "I think there is much you have already found out regarding the murders and myself."

"I'd like to know if those things are true."

"I'd like to know myself," Wai Li responded cryptically. "But that is not the reason I wanted to speak with you. Not the biggest reason, anyway. I am more interested in thanking you."

Hotch nodded. "You're welcome. I would still like for you to clarify just what went down during this whole case, though."

"Where to start?"

"Who is Liu Yi Long to you?"

"I will not lie." Wai Li raised his head from the pillows, trying to shift upwards. "I was attracted to him. He was a friend, someone I trusted. More than I should have, apparently. He came to take me home after every show I played for years. But the first time we met…"

"What were the circumstances?" Hotch prodded.

Wai Li stared at him with hallow eyes. "Even though this case is over, you still want to know about me. Is this, too, expected of your job?"

"It's expected of human curiosity. And I think you need to tell someone, in the end."

"My career. I met him because of my career here. You know this, Mr. Hotchner:" Wai Li laughed dryly then, distant, "when I first played with an orchestra it was my young age that appealed me to the managers and conductor of the philharmonic. It also appealed me to the other musicians. They took me to get a drink after my first show."

"At Synchronicity."

"Yes. The bartender was kindly in response to my awkwardness and underage status. He gave me his survey which you know, read it, smiled, and gave me a drink that he said would 'reveal the truth.' He smiled at me then. I still remember it. At the time-" the violinist looked at Hotch desperately, "I thought his smile was beautiful.

"He made me addicted to the drugs he sold over time, and I grew to trust in him. He was the 'perfect' person for me, for a time. He provided what my family could not; sympathy, release, acceptance-" his smile faded. "My sister tried. She tried to earn my love. I shunned her. I was convinced that she was in league with my criminal of a father, secretly disgusted by my preference for men. I lashed out against her for every moment she tried to be the person I saw in Liu."

Hotch heard the tears in Wai Li's voice long before the Asian man's slender arm came up to wipe them away from his eyes. "She forgives you, you know," Hotch whispered.

"But I cannot yet forgive myself." Wai Li sighed. "I had tried to become 'clean' from the drugs I was taking for some time now, while keeping up appearances to Liu. When my mind began to clear I saw that there was a 'wrongness' about him. I no longer felt longing for him. I tried to repair the relationship I had with Mei Xing. I was too late. She was frightened of me. Mr. Hotchner… can you see what is in front of you?"

It was a politely spoken question, but Hotch knew from the younger man's tone that the topic was urgent. He shifted in his chair by the hospital bedside. "What do you mean?"

"Your mind is not dirtied by drugs or false hopes. But can you see the person who loves you?"

Hotch froze in a moment of genuine confusion. "The person who loves me?" He thought of the people in his life. Haley loved him. She still probably did. But things had changed, so much had changed- Jack loved him. It was the love of a child, a beautiful, ineffable sort of love. His team- they were a family, they all had love for each other from having worked so closely so long in such conditions-

"Please think about it, Mr. Hotchner."

* * *

"The first thing that made me assume they were lovers were the plain packages that would arrive in the mail."

"Mhmm…" Reid nodded, urging Mei Xing on.

"So when I first saw one in Older Brother's hands I believed it to be a gift. I was in high school, but he was already earning a salary at that time. I saw one once, then did not see another for many, many months afterwards. Older Brother never seemed to want to let me see them. He was mysterious. He said Liu was using his address to receive the packages, which I did not question."

"So all this time, those must have been-"

"The drugs, yes, I know now."

"Did you ever see him on a 'bad trip?' Um, I mean, when he was acting in a scary way because of the drugs?"

Mei Xing closed her eyes from her horizontal position on the bed. "He vomited often, late at night. He also screamed in his sleep, sometimes. He said it was his way of coping with the pressures of his career. I did not question this either. Ever since we came to America it did not seem as though he would open his life to me. I let him have his private world. I shouldn't have."

"I think you were a good sister to him." Reid felt awkward in the current situation. There was a pregnant pause in their conversation.

"You… you've taken all of these events with a startling calmness, Mei Xing…" Reid fiddled with the watch secured around his sleeve. "You're not unaffected by all this. But you're taking it gracefully."

She turned her head to him, looking a bit confused.

"U-um! Don't hurt yourself, be careful." Reid felt a trickle of sweat roll down his back. "I mean… throughout this whole ordeal, you've been a big part of the picture that makes up your brother's life. When all these murders and such began… and when we found you, in that basement…"

He noticed her face twist into a sick smile, confused, before he realized she was actually crying.

"Oh god. I'm sorry." Reid fumbled around the small hospital room for tissues, then switched to searching his bag instead. He nearly handed them to her but stopped himself; in her state, it would be better if he helped her. He did, a bit guiltily.

"No, it's alright- not your fault-" she mumbled when her eyes were dry. "Everything was wrong in there. The things Liu said to us were wrong. The way he touched us was wrong. He was mad.

"I was scared and I was crying. That man who worked with Liu-" _Johnson_, Reid thought with disgust, "he was a sick man. He was not mad like Liu but mad and forceful and cruel." She closed her eyes and Reid grimaced.

"When I… when I aimed carefully and struck in his eyes I had to pull back so quickly. I was shaking, it was…" She shivered. "I want to rinse my hands again and again. I can hear the sound of it, when I pulled away-"

Reid almost wanted her to stop, but it would do no good to leave her with the images embedded in her head, told to no one. He sat through it, biting his lip.

But she'd already moved on. "I did it. I did it not because I was scared of what he'd do to me but I needed to see my brother again. This I know as the truth."

"…Even though Wai Li had always been distant to you?"

She smiled in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way. "You do not have siblings, Mr. Reid, I am guessing. Older brother and I are of only two years apart. We grew in a town filled with many businessmen with children already grown and gone. We were our best companions." She stopped speaking for a moment. "Hmm…"

"Huh?" Reid knew what she was getting at: the siblings hadn't always been cold to each other, but there was a slightly disturbed, but openly surprised look on Mei Xing's face.

"I was remembering something my mother said to us over many years. She used to say… Older Brother was born silent as the dead, so the nurses were afraid for him until they found his heart beat. She said I came to this world crying to wake the dead in their graves, so for me there was no question." The girl blushed, embarrassed. "My mother would say that for many years… it was always the same…"

When Reid's voice came it was softer than he'd thought. "What was?"

"Even sad or hurt, Older Brother remained the silent child. Since the day I was born… I cry for the both of us."

Reid had to call a nurse to bring more tissues.

* * *

_I just wanted to say- that_

_When nothing's going your way, I_

_Will be there for you, always there for you_

_Nah nah lalala laaaah_

"Aah, this song is really cute!" Garcia turned up the volume on the internet radio, reclining back into her chair and twirling a pink pen with a large fuzzy cotton ball at one end.

Kevin, who had laid his head on a bag filled with his laptops and binders of work that he'd propped onto her desk, groaned, "Ugh… Sheesh! Garcia, it's… nearly 1:00 in the morning! _Nocturnal animals are out hunting right now._ Don't you ever go home? What are you even still doing here? I thought the case was closed!"

"Oh, don't be such a whiny poophead." She hummed with the music as she scrolled through messages on one of her computer screens. "It's not over until it's really over, you know?"

"…What?"

She pouted at him, amused at his confused expression. "I mean this may be over, but time keeps going, right? For us, and for, you know, the violin kid and his sister, and the families of the victims."

"So…?"

Garcia tapped her pen with the music that was playing and glanced at her screens again. "Sooooo, it's never really over. I mean… well, for one, that violinist is gonna have to overcome whatever addictions he's got, and both he and his sister have to recover from their respective injuries, and they both have their crazy family to deal with, and the police force is going to go through Hell to clear up the actions of that one officer…" She sighed, "And my beloved Derek Morgan is wishing me a good night by texting me to ask which of the siblings is hotter because he can't decide."

Kevin perked up. "What, Agent Morgan asked that? About a girl and a _guy_? Whoa. Whoa, whoa. I didn't see pictures, lemme give my vote!"

The pink pen hit him squarely in the forehead and Garcia began packing up to leave.

* * *

"So what did Wai Li want to talk about?"

"So what did Mei Xing want to talk about?"

Hotch and Reid stared at each other, stifling their laughter at having immediately questioned each other as soon as they'd stepped out of the hospital and made their way to the car.

"Well," Hotch began, "Wai Li cleared up some things, answered some questions, told me I had to understand that there was someone right in front of me who loved me."

Reid choked.

Hotch raised an eyebrow.

Both men felt their hearts pumping quickly.

"That's... Uh..." Reid cleared his throat. "Right. I guess that... I guess he was referring to me, then."

Hotch's eyebrow went even higher. "Wow. That was forthcoming," he said, surprised.

"Yeah, well..." Reid's whole body felt stiff. He looked away from Hotch and towards the FBI-issue SUV, one of the last cars in the parking lot. "...It would have killed me if you said something like, 'I think he was referring to Emily,' or something like that."

Hotch stopped walking and grabbed Reid's arm, stopping him too. "Spencer."

"H-huh?"

"I'm a better profiler than that."

"Yeah..." Reid laughed, and then started to sob, tearlessly, happily, with a sudden feeling of release. "I know."

And Aaron Hotchner hugged him tightly.

And Spencer Reid hugged back.

And it lasted for quite some time.

"We'll have to work this all out later," Hotch whispered into the younger man's ear. "Just know that I'm grateful, and that I understand."

"Yeah," Reid whispered back, "you always do."

They got into the car some minutes later and Hotch started the engine. "So..." he began, awkwardly, "did Mei Xing say something similar?"

Reid paled, and tried to laugh casually. "We talked about her life with her brother, her past... and, um, what happened in that bar basement. I uh..." He bit his lip. "I made her cry. But I think it helped. I mean, I know it helped! She's okay. They're both okay! It's sort of a happy ending in that sense, right?"

Hotch laughed under his breath and moved a hand from the steering wheel to cover Reid's. "In more ways then one."

They slept peacefully that night.

* * *

**[A/N] Hello update. **

**Uhh it's not done yet! There are still one or two chapters coming. **

**Ahahaha I wanted to apologize to everyone who has been so loyally waiting for this. I'm really sorry. My excuses are here: school, tennis, a complicated first relationship that I am now no longer a part of, the crazily long time it takes for me to edit my terrible English [haha, don't ever MSN chat with me if you want to retain your English abilities. My (lack of) correct spelling and grammar will suck them right out of you], and other stuff... like just not being able to get motivated to finish the chapter. **

**But in the end, I'm very happy. This fiction has gone a long way, some 77 pages of Microsoft Word and 25,670 words, that's really a lot! And it is coming to a sort of happy ending that I wanted these characters to have. And maybe this Hotch/Reid scene was not to your liking or expectations, but I felt comfortable with it. **

**I'm starting to cry. **

**These characters are very dear to me right now, and I want them to properly have endings to their stories in this world I have created. I'll try my best to give them a good ending, and I'll hold them in my heart. Mei Xing and Wai Li and Liu Yi and Johnson and even gross Mr. Roberts are like children of my heart, to me. They are really my first OCs ever, and this was my first Criminal Minds fiction and first multi-chaptered fic. And with the level of fulfillment and success I've gained from writing this, I wouldn't have it any other way. **

**I'd like to thank everyone deeply from the bottom of my soul.**

**Thank you very much for reading.**


	18. A Due

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

** A Due **[intended as a duet; for two voices or instruments; together; two instruments are to play in unison after (a) solo passage(s) for one or both of the instruments .]

* * *

On the plane ride home Rossi muttered, "Another day, another case closed," as he lounged back in his seat and propped his hands behind his head.

But for Spencer Reid it was quite a bit more than that.

He sat nervously next to Hotch, reading (but not really reading) a book on some topic or another, he wasn't really sure, and sneaking glances at his superior's face every few minutes. To be more specific, every 185 seconds on average, with a standard deviation of 3 seconds, but who was keeping track? Certainly not Reid.

Hotch looked at him at the same time Reid had been looking at Hotch and they looked at each other and one of them smiled and then suddenly they were both smiling.

Morgan and Prentiss looked at them both, quizzically, and then decided not to ask.

* * *

"The perpetrator behind the eleven murders in the Southern California area and the kidnapping of professional violinist Wai Li Jung and his sister died earlier this morning by gunshot wounds in this hospital behind me- coming to you live, we're here with a news report…"

"You're certain that it does not hurt?" Wai Li asked, cautiously standing by his sister as she got up first to turn off their living room television and second to go to the kitchen.

"I have so many medications in my body at this moment, I can barely feel the pressure of my feet on the floor," Mei Xing replied wryly. "I'm fine. Your health is of more concern. The body heals quickly. The mind does not."

Wai Li stood behind her in the doorway of the kitchen as she one-handedly maneuvered lotus roots, daikon, carrot, and ox tail into a soup bowl. Suddenly he perceived a soothing warmth that took him by surprise.

He smiled.

He almost _cried_.

"Older Brother?"

"May I help you?"

She stared at him, her hand half-suspended over the sink faucet. Then she beamed at him. An honest, sudden, overwhelmingly beautiful smile.

"Is that what is called 'tempting fate'?"

"Huh? …What?" The smile had taken him off guard.

"Older Brother… The last time you cooked in this house, I believe we nearly lost our kitchen to fire. We have just recently eluded death-" she'd been walking to where he was standing, dumbstruck, and placed her hands on her hips and _smiled, _again, and he almost didn't hear her finish with "-let's not take anymore risks of that sort, yes?"

"…Wait. Wait, wait- Little Sister, that was three years ago! Have mercy!" Now _he _was grinning.

It felt nice.

"Absolutely none!" She yelped, as he tried to push her from her place in front of the sink.

Two hours longer than it should have taken, the two siblings were sitting at their dining table, eating steamed fish and napa cabbage and drinking soup, thinking there was no place they would have rather been.

* * *

"Welcome home!" Garcia came bolting out of her office when the rest of the team had returned. She ran right into Morgan, hugging him, then moved over to JJ and then to Prentiss. They smiled tiredly and accepted her embraces.

Rossi, and Hotch gave her nods of acknowledgement. An "oof!" could be heard as Reid was squeezed by Garcia happily.

"Hey, baby girl." Morgan set down the case files and duffel bag he had been carrying and sank into his desk chair. "You held down the fort while we were out?"

"As always!" She pointed a finger and a glittery neon-pink nail was brandished at his chest. "But you, Derek Morgan, have some explaining to do! Since when have you been going after youthful Asian musicians of effeminate masculinity? And why do you feel the need to share these passions with a beautiful, single tech goddess sitting in a dark, cramped room all by her lonesome?"

"I was with you the whole time!" the voice of Kevin Lynch rang out from somewhere inside Garcia's office space.

"Effeminate masculinity?" Reid chose to ignore Kevin's protests for the time being. "That has to be the most accurate oxymoron I've heard used as a descriptor."

"Never mind that! I demand explanation!"

"What happened to the big, bad, door-kicking Agent Morgan?" Prentiss teased as Garcia batted at said door-kicker's head with a discarded manila folder.

"Dealing with the scariest of UnSubs right now!" he grunted in reply.

JJ laughed and went to her own desk, sorting a fresh stack of work to be done. "Play nice, children."

The team chuckled and fooled around and basked in another happy ending.

* * *

"Hello? Is Wai Li Jung there?"

"Yes. This is he speaking."

"Hi, Wai Li… it's Doctor Spencer Reid from the Behavioral Analysis Unit, I'm pretty sure you remember-"

"It's been only a few months, Dr. Reid. You are correct, I surely remember you."

"Oh. Okay. Great. Um- how are you? Is everything doing alright?"

"Yes. Things are well for me. And yourself?"

"Um, great- things are really great right now. Um, how's work? How's your sister?"

"This is known as a 'follow-up,' correct?"

"Um, yes."

"Work is fulfilling. I am performing in a new venue, with a different orchestra, having been introduced to a new manager who is both impersonal and kind to me, which is alright. My sister has nearly made full recovery and has been considering studying psychology and criminal justice."

"Wow. Okay. We'll keep that in mind in case any of our team gets shot dead or something one of these days."

"…That was rather morbid, Dr. Reid. Should I have responded with laughter or dismay?"

"Sorry. Right. But the chance of injury in our line of work along with any sort of in-the-field justice is fittingly high. And the death rate alone is almost disproportionate; actually, even with non-field agents there's an exponential increase in-"

"Dr. Reid, I am now considering suggesting to my sister a safer field of study. Perhaps flower arrangement. Or perhaps the art of origami."

"There's always the chance of tainted roots or stems, and toxins in leaves and petals can go undetected in the body for years- and then there's paper cuts, which, although seemingly harmless, have been proven to lead to- sorry. Sorry about that."

"…Haha…"

"Huh? Sorry, Wai Li?"

"Hahaha… haha… Dr. Reid… Mr. Hotchner is indeed very privileged."

"What?"

"He has spoken to you of his interest by now, of this I am sure. Are you happy, with the interactions between the two of you?"

"What- um- yes. Yes, I am very happy. It's really… it's wonderful, actually. It's pleasant. Something to look forward to every morning when I go to work."

"You meet only at work? I wish to remedy that."

"What? How?"

"Dr. Reid, I am performing at the CenterStage in Richmond, and I had quite the supply of tickets to dispense at my leisure; they are an expression of thanks I would like to gift to you. However, as many were sold off or given to the families of coworkers, I found that only two remained. Will you accept them?"

"…Are they box seats?"

* * *

"Older Brother, why are you smiling?"

* * *

**[A/N] Stick around, even though that was The End. **

**Thank you very much for reading~**

**Update coming later tonight. **

**I promise.  
**


	19. Coda

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any related aspects, which belong to their respective owners. No money made.

Summary: Duet partners of a certain violinist are murdered after their first performances. The BAU are asked to help find the killer.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, sexual themes, yaoi, language

**[Criminal Minds] The Essentials [Hotch/Reid, Reid/OMC, OMC/OMC]**

* * *

** Coda **[a tail; i.e., a closing section appended to a movement .]

* * *

photobucketcom/the-essentials

It needs a dot between "photobucket" and "com"

The password is "essential"

Sorry for crappy quality.

* * *

**68luvcarter**, **Reidemption**, and **ZeroPanda** sent in some questions for me (at my request) regarding the writing of The Essentials. I paraphrased and shortened questions, to an extent (sorry about that) and treated the questions like an interview, so take a look if you have the time~

Feel free to **ask me anything** about The Essentials; I'll post the answers best as I can in this chapter ASAP. Wai Li, Mei Xing, and Liu will help me, I'm sure.

**Wai Li: So be it. [nods]**

**Mei Xing: Alright, that is fine.**

**Liu: I brought the beer.**

**meifl0wer: I brought the stun gun.**

**Liu: Okay, okay. Point taken.**

"How long have you been a writer?"

**Fanfic-wise, my first published fic came out May 2008 on deviantartcom. I didn't really consider myself a fanfic writer until about a year later, when I made my fanfictionnet account. **

"Who inspired you to write?"

**Many fanfictionnet authors, and all the readers who ever read and/or reviewed any of my fics as they were being written.**

"What inspired you to write "The Essentials?""

**I was transfixed by the writing of the Criminal Minds episodes and wanted to write a fanfic that would capture the same feeling. TE was also an experiment in which I tried lots of fanfiction devices I'd never used before… like OCs. I was inspired by a desire to write something for this fandom that I could be proud of. **

"Where did the idea to link the chapters with music come from?"

**I used the musical terms as a focal point, to focus the ideas that I presented in the story. I also wrote them as a remnant of how my original drafts had way more emphasis on Wai Li's musical career. **

"What is your favorite/least favorite scene?"

**Favorite scene… Wai Li and Mei Xing making up and having a domestic moment in the last chapter, A Due. In case anyone was wondering, it's because that scene is the _first time_ Wai Li and Mei Xing interact directly in the story, believe it or not. Least favorite is all the scenes where I described the murders. I didn't give those scenes any life (HAHAHA)… but no, really, they were written in a really boring way. :C**

**Wai Li: The scene in which I showcased my abilities and was described as "beautiful" early in my introduction to the story appealed to me very much.**

**Mei Xing: Older Brother, I believe the size of your head is increasing.**

"Do you have plans for another Criminal Minds story?"

**I will definitely write more for this fandom, but I'm pretty dry on ideas for something of TE's length and intensity. I'm certainly considering writing another fic similar to TE though in the future; maybe even a sequel? Haha~**

"Are you pleased with the outcome of your story?"

**Yes. **

"What about your OCs? Did you know from the very beginning who they were going to be?"

**Nope. Originally, the siblings were twins, and really early on, they were both male. Wai Li was always a violinist, but originally Mei Xing (when first created) was a pianist as well… not sure why, can't remember. Liu didn't come into the world until waaaaayyy later. I knew Johnson would exist from the start, keeping with the Criminal Minds tradition (usually a cop-of-the-episode fills in the ****BAU**** about the case.) I didn't make him a "villain" until much later though. Roberts came shortly after Johnson, and was always meant to be "a bad guy." I tried for the most part to be a minimalist with the OCs, each one serving several roles. I didn't want to overpower the reader with a crapload of original characters, especially for my first OC-inclusive fic.**

"I'm interested in knowing… maybe more about the character Liu. He kind of fascinates me with how dark he is... I want to know where he stems from, what mind-set you get into to write him, etc."

**Whoo boy. Let me say this first of all: Liu was the one character I had the least and most control over throughout the writing of this fic. That sounds weird, but it's true. He came into the story as a last-minute addition who filled in the role I'd realized I needed after scrapping old ideas: the antagonist. Once he came, I couldn't get rid of him, though. From my point of view, writing Liu was largely like this:**

**meifl0wer: Liu. I need you to rape Wai Li and rough up Mei Xing in these coming chapters. Also, you need to reveal a little more of your crazy when the ****BAU**** finds you. Can you do that?**

**Liu: Can I do it my way?**

**meifl0wer: What's "your way?"**

**And I would wake up the morning after posting the chapter feeling awkward because Liu would do all this stuff I didn't realize could actually come out of my head, like skipping through the hallways, sticking his fingers into Mei Xing, and using the f-word multiple times along with most of the profanity in the fic. **

**Even more crazily, I kept that stuff in the story. **

**I like Liu too, because I think he is a well-made original character. But to write him, I had to submit to the idea that whatever role I wanted him to serve in the story, his pre-established personality I had in my mind for him would do its own thing. **

**Liu: I'm a bundle of joy, aren't I? I practically write myself! Isn't that right, miss authoress?**

**meifl0wer: Please get out of my lap.**

"And your comics! Drawings, whatever. I… would love to know if that's something you normally do after stories or if it was a one-time thing?"

**This was my first time drawing an end-comic; I felt as though that was the best way for me to give the characters a proper send-off… I'm more comfortable with drawing than writing; see my profile page for my deviantart for case in point… **

**Mei Xing: Is this what is called "self-advertising"?**

**Wai Li: Have I mentioned, Little Sister, that my most recent compilation of concerto music has just recently been released to the public?**

"How many times did you revise each chapter before you posted?"

**Many, many times. More than twenty times, for some chapters. It seemed like fighting a hydra; every time I found and corrected a grammar or spelling mistake, more sprang up in its place the next time I read the chapter over. The first chapter was revised I think _at least_ thirty times. Yeah. **

Cupcakes or muffins...?

**Wai Li: Muffins. **

**Mei Xing: Cupcakes. **

**Liu: Pot brownies. **

**meifl0wer: [slaps forehead]**

**Liu: Ow!**

Did you see from the very beginning where this story was going? I saw a lot of the things you changed in the revision process, but was there anything else that you cut out or altered that you didn't mention in the little comic?

**I knew where I wanted the story to go: a happy ending. However, my attempts to get there were very skewed along the way. I had lots of ideas that were scrapped throughout the writing process, many of them because I thought it would be difficult to write a happy ending for the scenario. For example, Wai Li was originally the elder of two incestual twins. He was also a narcissist, and a closet homosexual… I feel like I've said this before. Hmm. The first big twist was supposed to be that the twins were incestual, the second, that the younger twin was the murderer of the other musicians. I actually still like the idea of writing that for another CM story… ah, whatever. Other discarded ideas… the younger twin was originally going to try to kill Reid after Reid was getting "too close" to the older. Hotch was supposed to have a big hero moment and save Reid, and that was the point in the story where the murderer was supposed to be revealed. Also, something I thought I'd keep to the end was a scene near the beginning where the first big twist, the incest, would be revealed and Reid and Hotch would walk in on the twins. Then, later in the story, after the arrest of the younger twin, Wai Li would walk in on Reid and Hotch and remark on how far they'd come before the story would end. **

**But like I said, this in all didn't really contribute to the idea of a happy ending. So, I tweaked the siblings a lot. Most of the other things did not change much…?**

* * *

**Mei Xing: Thank you for your time. **

**Wai Li: We hope you'll return for an encore performance perhaps, someday. **

**Liu: Right. Take care~**

**meifl0wer: That sounds very disturbing coming from you. **

This was fun! Please feel free to ask any questions of me and thank you very much for reading~!

* * *

P.S.

For fun, I decided to take the Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test for the three Asian characters.

Wai Li tested as a Mary Sue... er, Gary Stu. I'm not surprised, seeing that he's a young, semi-famous concert violinist who ran away from home and is the love interest of the antagonist.

Mei Xing tested as not a Mary Sue. She had too few Sue-ish traits, I think. I hope she wasn't too dull, though. :C

Liu tested as an Anti-Sue. Pffft


End file.
